September

2017

www.chemengonline.com

Water and
Wastewater
Management
Vacuum System Design
Temperature Sensors
Pumps

Drones Enter
the CPI Space page 30

Spill Containment
Facts at Your
Fingertips:
Heat Transfer
Focus on Feeding and
Weighing
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 www.chemengonline.com

September 2017 Volume 124 | no. 9

Cover Story
30 Drones Take to the CPI Skies Drones are quickly entering
the chemical processing space as more companies embrace their use for
inspection and montoring tasks

In the News
7 Chementator
Oxy-fuel burner restores air-fuel regenerative furnaces to full
production; Magnetized viruses attack challenging bacteria in
water treatment systems; Carbon nanotube technology toughens
carbon-fiber composite materials; Ammonia as an H2-carrier
enabled by catalytic membrane; and more
12 Business News
$8-billion phosphate megaproject starts up in Saudi Arabia; Ineos
Styrolution to increase compounding capacity in India; Fluor
awarded EPCM contact for Petronas isononanol plant; Linde to
construct two ASUs for Wanghua Chemical Group in China; Mitsui
Chemicals increases global PP processing capabilities; and more
14 Newsfront Modern Temperature Sensors Increase
Accuracy Both new and traditional technologies simplify and improve the 30
temperature-sensing process

Technical and Practical

24 Technology Profile Acetic Acid Production from
Methanol This process description outlines the manufacture of acetic
acid from methanol
24a Facts at your Fingertips Heat-Transfer Fluid 39
Selection This one-page reference offers guidance for selecting the right
heat-transfer fluid for optimal lifecycle costs and performance
39 Feature Report: Water Part 1 Odors Issues and
Solutions for Wastewater Treatment Increasingly,
wastewater treatment plants must address odors due to volatile contaminants.
46
This guide provides an overview of odor causes and possible remedial actions

46 Feature Report: Water Part 2 Smart Water-

Management Strategies: The Time is Now Considering
water-management strategy as a central component of infrastructure design
at industrial facilities will unlock cost savings throughout the operation
71
52 Feature Report An Overview of Vacuum System
Design The design of vacuum systems deserves careful attention, given
that there are multiple facets that affect efficiency, operability and cost

71 Engineering Practice Addressing Pumping Issues in

Biopharmaceutical Operations Quaternary diaphragm pumps
deliver the low pulsation and shear that is critical to these biopharmaceutical
and continuous-manufacturing operations

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 1

 76 Environmental Manager Spill Containment: An Often-
Overlooked Hazard in Research With proper planning, spills can
be managed properly and the risk of secondary events — which may be more
dangerous and costly — can be reduced

Equipment and Services

20 Focus on Feeding and Weighing Bulk Solids
Single unit combines bin discharge and feeding; Advanced design makes
weighing tiny amounts easier; Automatic volumetric feeder saves time, improves
accuracy; Small-footprint weigh feeder can move thousands of pounds per
hour; Spare-parts kits for compact vibratory feeders; and more

76 25 New Products
Automated alarm management reduces manual calculation work; Easily detect
seal and gasket wear in conveying applications; Hazardous-gas detection
with an array of sensor options; Couplers to minimize product loss and cross-
contamination; and more
84 Show Preview Powtech 2017
Presented here is a sampling of the products to be on display at Powtech 2017,
20 being held September 26–28 in Nuremburg, Germany
90 Show Preview Weftec 2017
Weftec 2017 will take place Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 in Chicago, Ill. Here is a sampling
of the products to be shown on the exhibit floor

Departments
5 Editor’s Page Scientists as celebrities
25 Scientists rarely reach celebrity status, but positive publicity can go a long way
in increasing STEM awareness
104 Economic Indicators

Advertisers
61 Water Special Advertising Section
84
92 Hot Products
93 Europe Special Advertising Section
100 Product Showcase
101 Classified
90 102 Reader Service
103 Ad Index

Chemical Connections
Follow @ChemEngMag on Twitter
Join the Chemical Engineering Magazine
LinkedIn Group
Visit us on www.chemengonline.com for Latest News,
Webinars, Test your Knowledge Quizzes, Bookshelf
and more

Coming in October
Look for: Feature Reports on Solids Handling; and Fluid Sealing;
A Focus on Mobile Engineering Applications; A Facts at your
Fingertips on Industrial Gases; News Articles on Performance Materials
and Process Chemicals; and Chlor-Alkali; New Products; and much more
Cover design: Rob Hudgins
2 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
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sales and service centers offer critical assistance to plants short on resources. It’s just one
more way we’re engineered to perform under pressure.

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Circle 48 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-48
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your plant. This new flowmeter generation is based on decades of experience in
safety-related applications and is entirely developed according to SIL (IEC 61508).
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Circle 19 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-19
 Editor s Page
EDITORS ART & DESIGN
Scientists as celebrities
DOROTHY LOZOWSKI ROB HUDGINS

I
Editorial Director Graphic Designer recently saw a television commercial that caught my attention
rhudgins@accessintel.com
dlozowski@chemengonline.com and provided “food for thought.” The ad begins with a young girl
GERALD ONDREY (FRANKFURT) PRODUCTION opening a birthday gift, and is delighted when she sees that it is
Senior Editor
gondrey@chemengonline.com SOPHIE CHAN-WOOD a Millie Dresselhaus doll. A voice asks, “What if we treated great
Production Manager
schan-wood@accessintel.com female scientists like they were stars?” and “What if Millie Dresselhaus
SCOTT JENKINS
Senior Editor INFORMATION . . . were as famous as any celebrity?” The commercial thoughtfully
sjenkins@chemengonline.com SERVICES places a scientist, Mildred Dresselhaus, in scenes that are common
MARY PAGE BAILEY CHARLES SANDS for a celebrity, but quite foreign for a scientist. Images in the ad include
Associate Editor Director of Digital Development
mbailey@chemengonline.com csands@accessintel.com a student sending a text that says “Aced physics!!” and includes Mil-
PUBLISHER, SALES & CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
lie Dresselhaus emojis; children dressed up as Millie Dresselhaus for
MARKETING
SUZANNE A. SHELLEY
Halloween; tourists taking pictures of a Millie Dresselhaus wall mural;
MATTHEW GRANT sshelley@chemengonline.com the front page of the New York Post featuring a picture of Millie Dres-
mattg@powermag.com
CHARLES BUTCHER (U.K.) selhaus and a headline of “Physics or Chemistry?”
cbutcher@chemengonline.com
AUDIENCE
DEVELOPMENT
When I first saw this commercial, I did not know who Mildred Dres-
PAUL S. GRAD (AUSTRALIA) selhaus was, and it gave me reason to pause and think about celebrity
SARAH GARWOOD pgrad@chemengonline.com
Audience Marketing Director and where our society places its celebrity emphasis. Most, if not all of
sgarwood@accessintel.com
TETSUO SATOH (JAPAN)
tsatoh@chemengonline.com
us can probably quickly name many famous sports legends, actors and
JESSICA GRIER
Marketing Manager
musicians. How many famous scientists can we quickly name? And
jgrier@accessintel.com JOY LEPREE (NEW JERSEY) how many of those would be female scientists? The ad brings attention
jlepree@chemengonline.com
GEORGE SEVERINE to scientists, and in particular to women in science. Its sponsor goes on
Fulfillment Manager
gseverine@accessintel.com
to mention that the company’s goal is to have 20,000 women in techni-
cal roles by 2020 [1]. Such goals and publicity can help to gain more
JEN FELLING much-needed interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and
List Sales, Statlistics (203) 778-8700
j.felling@statlistics.com math) careers, especially among our youth. I would welcome seeing
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD more ads that put scientists and engineers in the spotlight.
JOHN CARSON JOHN HOLLMANN
Jenike & Johanson, Inc. Validation Estimating LLC About Mildred Dresselhaus
DAVID DICKEY HENRY KISTER Mildred Dresselhaus was born in 1930 and grew up in the Bronx, N.Y.
MixTech, Inc. Fluor Corp. She expected to become a school teacher, which she says was one
HEADQUARTERS
of the three career paths that were open to women at the time (the
40 Wall Street, 50th floor, New York, NY 10005, U.S. other two were secretarial and nursing work). In college, however, she
Tel: 212-621-4900
Fax: 212-621-4694 was inspired by Rosalyn Yarrow, who encouraged her to study phys-
EUROPEAN EDITORIAL OFFICES
ics. Dresselhaus went on to become the first woman at the Massa-
Zeilweg 44, D-60439 Frankfurt am Main, Germany chusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to attain the rank of full, tenured
Tel: 49-69-9573-8296
Fax: 49-69-5700-2484 professor, and the first woman to win the National Medal of Science
CIRCULATION REQUESTS: in Engineering in 1990. She was a member of the MIT faculty for 50
Tel: 847-564-9290 years and was particularly known for her work on nanomaterials and
Fax: 847-564-9453
Fullfillment Manager; P.O. Box 3588, graphene. She passed away in February of this year, just weeks after
Northbrook, IL 60065-3588
email: chemeng@omeda.com the video in the commercial described above was released [2,3].
ADVERTISING REQUESTS: SEE P. 102 Her mentor, Rosalyn Yarrow, was a nuclear physicist who won the
For reprints, licensing and permissions: Wright's Media, 1-877-652-5295,
sales@wrightsmedia.com
Nobel Prize (one half of the award) in Physiology or Medicine in 1977
for the development of radioimmunoassays of peptide hormones. Her
ACCESS INTELLIGENCE, LLC work opened the door to enable the measurement of low levels of
DON PAZOUR
Chief Executive Officer
JONATHAN RAY
Vice President, Digital
various substances, such as insulin, in the body [4].
HEATHER FARLEY MICHAEL KRAUS
Chief Operating Officer Vice President, In this issue
Production, Digital Media & Design
This issue covers a wide variety of topics, including our cover story, which
JAMES OGLE
Executive Vice President STEVE BARBER highlights the ways that drones are finding new ap-
& Chief Financial Officer Vice President,
Financial Planning and Internal Audit plications in the chemical process industries (CPI);
MACY L. FECTO
Exec. Vice President, GERALD STASKO
advances in temperature measurement; features on
Human Resources & Administration Vice President/Corporate Controller water and wastewater, and on pumps; and much
JENNIFER SCHWARTZ more. We hope you enjoy reading. ■
Senior Vice President & Group Publisher
Aerospace, Energy, Healthcare Dorothy Lozowski, Editorial Director
ROB PACIOREK 9211 Corporate Blvd., 4th Floor
1.Television commercial by General Electric; www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ6_
Senior Vice President, Rockville, MD 20850-3240 fOX7ITQ.
Chief Information Officer www.accessintel.com
2.www.nationalmedals.org - accessed 8/7/2017.
3.news.mit.edu/2017/institute-professor-emerita-mildred-dresselhaus-
dies-86-0221– accessed 8/7/2017.
4. www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1977.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 5
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...the people
Our group constantly invests in people, state of the art machinery,
research & development, and marketing.
With pride and passion, our team works hard every day towards the continuous l’impegno di essere avanti
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Circle 39 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-39
Chementator
Oxy-fuel burner restores air-fuel regenerative
furnaces to full production Edited by:
Gerald Ondrey
ngineers at Air Prod- Primary fuel and

E
oxygen lance
that can be optimally tailored to
ucts (Lehigh Valley, the width of the furnace com- POLYESTERS
Pa.; www.airproducts. bustion space, and is also a Customizing the mac-
Tilt mechanism
com) have commercial- mechanism for reducing NOx roscale properties of poly-
ized an improved version of the emissions.” esters by using sidechain
company’s Cleanfire ThruPort The recently commercialized chemical groups is difficult,
oxy-fuel burner for avoiding ThruPorte version has design and is limited for commer-
downtime during repairs and Secondary improvements that include a cially available polyesters.
staged Now, researchers at Vir-
extending the lifetime of air-fuel oxygen lance means of adjusting the trajec-
ginia Tech (Blacksburg,
regenerative furnaces in glass- tory of the flame relative to the
Va.; www.vt.edu) have de-
making plants. glass surface and optimal wire- veloped a novel method
The company’s original less diagnostic sensors that for synthesizing polyesters
Cleanfire ThruPort burner was Air products
provide realtime status of key that may expand the range
designed to introduce oxy-fuel burner operating variables, of available properties for
combustion (using pure oxygen as the oxi- such as oxygen and fuel pressures, burner polyesters. The Virginia
dant, rather than air) in air-fuel-fired regen- metal temperature, cooling water flowrate Tech team’s chemistry,
erative glass-melting furnaces. The water- and temperature, and proportion of oxygen known as photoredox ring-
cooled ThruPort burners have a unique delivered to the second (staging) lance. opening polymerization, has
design (photo) in which two “nested” lances The ability of the ThruPorte burner to tai- the potential to synthesize
polyesters with highly con-
deliver oxy-fuel (top lance) and staged ox- lor the flame length and trajectory, remotely
trolled stereochemistry and
ygen (bottom lance) are controlled by a monitor key burner performance variables, narrow molecular weight
mechanism to control the proportion of oxy- and be installed rapidly during furnace oper- distributions. Further, a wide
gen between the two. ation enables glass manufacturers to avoid range of sidechains can be
“By separating (staging) a portion of the downtime during repairs and extend the life introduced, allowing the
oxygen away from the main oxy-fuel flame, of aging furnaces. A version of the burner polyesters to be used in ap-
we can control the rate of mixing between was recently installed at two North American plications such as plastic
fuel and oxygen in the flame,” says Mark float-glass plants. Air Products reports res- engineering and biomedical
D’Agostini, senior research associate at toration of full function and improved energy drug delivery systems.
Air Products. “This leads to flame lengths efficiency in both cases. The chemistry begins with
O-carboxyanhydrides, five-
membered rings with at-
tached functional groups.
Magnetized viruses attack challenging bacteria in Using a photoredox nickel-
water-treatment systems iridium catalyst combined
with a zinc-alkoxide, the car-

B
iofilms in water-treatment systems
may harbor problematic bacteria
and pathogens since chemical dis-
infectants typically do not penetrate
the biofilm. Now, a new treatment approach
developed in the laboratory of Pedro Alvarez
at Rice University (Houston; www.rice.edu)
could enable the controlled penetration of
biofilms to attack harmful, difficult-to-treat
bacteria. The Rice team is using bacterio-
phages (viruses that kill bacteria) that have
been attached to specially designed mag-
netized nanoclusters. In the presence of a
weak magnetic field, the nanoclusters can
be guided through a biofilm, where the at-
tached phages can infect the targeted bac-
teria. Variations in strength and duration of
the magnetic field can control penetration
depth, and horizontal migration is driven by
moving the magnet in a particular direction.
The configuration of the phage-nanoclus-
ter complex is paramount to ensure its ef-
fectiveness in attacking bacteria. First, the
orientation of the phage is crucial — the
phage must attach to the nanocluster at boxyanhydrides undergo a
its head so that the tail fibers that initiate ring-opening polymerization
infection are exposed, explains Alvarez. reaction, forming a polymer
The surface chemistry of the nanoclusters backbone that contains the
is also quite important. Consisting of iron desired sidechain.
oxide, sulfur and carbon, the nanoclusters
were also affixed with amino groups to form LITHIUM RECOVERY
Last month, MGX Miner-
amide bonds with the carboxylic groups of als Inc. (Vancouver, B.C.,
the phage heads. “Accordingly, we wanted Canada; www.mgxminerals.
to have a high density of amino functional com) said its engineering
groups on the particle surface to obtain a partner, PurLucid Treatment
high loading of phages with the proper ori- Solutions (www.purlucid.
entation,” says Alvarez. com) started operational
Since production of phages and iron testing on the Li-1 lithium-
oxides is relatively inexpensive, Alvarez recovery unit at its testing
sees potential for large-scale application facility in Calgary, Alberta.
The Li-1 pilot plant can pro-
of this technology in such applications as
cess 20 m3/d and will be ex-
mitigation of microbially induced corro- panded to increase through-
sion, biofilm removal from cooling towers put to 100 m3/d. The pilot
and biofouling control in water-filtration plant separates impurities
membranes. The concept has been dem- from oil-and-gas wastewa-
onstrated at bench-scale, and the team is ter, allowing for lithium and
seeking partnerships with technology de- magnesium extraction, as
velopers to accelerate commercialization. (Continues on p. 8)

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 7

well as reuse and repurpose Carbon nanotube technology toughens carbon-
of industrial water and brine. fiber composite materials

“This system represents
the physical and operational
templates that move us from
bench scale to the field and
provide the engineering basis
for the large commercial
systems (>1,500 m3/d) we
expect to deploy into MGX’s
property and partner base,”
says Jared Lazerson CEO of
MGX Minerals.
Concurrently with pilot plant
testing, fabrication of a com-
mercial-scale system capable
of processing 200 m3/d is un-
derway and is expected to be
ready for deployment in fourth
quarter 2017. Based on re-
sults of pilot plant testing, the
company plans to ship com-
mercial-scale systems to sites
in the U.S. and Canada begin-
ning in the first quarter of 2018.
URANIUM COMPLEX
Researchers from the École
Polytechnique Fédérale de
Lausanne (EPFL; Switzer-
land; www.epfl.ch) have de-
veloped a uranium-based
complex that can allow nitro-
gen fixation reactions to take
place in ambient conditions.
The work, published recently
in Nature, forms a basis for
the development of more ef-
ficient catalysts, while it high-
lights new concepts that can
be expanded to metals be-
yond uranium.
The laboratory of professor
Marinella Mazzanti synthesized
a complex containing two
uranium(III) ions and three po-
tassium centers, held together
by a nitride group and a flex-
ible metalloligand framework.
This system can bind nitrogen
U
N12 Technologies
nder mechanical
stress, carbon-
reinforced epoxy-
resin composite
materials can experience
cracking and de-lamina-
tion at the junctures be-
Carbon fiber
tween layers of material,
where the composites are
resin-rich. Placing verti-
cally aligned carbon nano-
Nanostitch
tubes (VACNTs) into the
inter-laminar regions can
toughen the composite Carbon fiber
and prevent cracking be-
tween layers.
N12 Technologies Inc.
(Cambridge, Mass.; www. 10m
n12technologies.com) has
developed the world’s first conduct heat and electricity between layers
commercially viable manufacturing process better than conventional composites, allow-
for introducing VACNTs into the inter-laminar ing functional materials, N12 says.
region of carbon-fiber composites. Known N12 licensed the NanoStitch technology
as NanoStitch, the technology transfers from the academic laboratory of Brian War-
VACNTs into the inter-laminar regions of the dle at the Massachusetts Institute of Tech-
composites, binding the plies of composite nology (MIT; Cambridge, Mass.; www.mit.
material together and preventing cracking edu). N12 has since increased the produc-
and de-lamination. tion rate of the VACNT-strengthened car-
The VACNTs look like nanoscale forests, bon fibers by several orders of magnitude,
where trillions of precisely aligned nano- allowing customers to test the NanoStitch
tubes (photo) are oriented perpendicular to composites. NanoStitch is compatible with
the plane in which the layers of carbon-fiber industry standard manufacturing methods
epoxy composites are being assembled, ex- for composites, the company says.
plains Paul Jarosz, director of science and Now, N12 is working with partners, in-
technology at N12. Introducing VACNTs cluding the University of Dayton Research
to the interlaminar region increases shear Institute (UDRI; Ohio; www.udri.udayton.
strength and toughness of the composite edu), to further scale up the production pro-
material, while adding no weight or thick- cess by another “several orders of magni-
ness. Also, composites with NanoStitch tude,” says Jarosz.
Ammonia as a H2-carrier enabled by a
catalytic membrane

and split it in two under ambi-
ent, mild conditions by adding
hydrogen or protons (or both)
or carbon monoxide to the re-
sulting nitrogen complex. As a
result, the molecular nitrogen is
cleaved, and bonds naturally
with hydrogen and carbon.
The study proves that a mo-
lecular uranium complex can
transform molecular nitrogen
into value-added compounds
without the need for the harsh
conditions of the Haber-
Bosch process, used for over
a century to make ammonia. It
(Continues on p. 11)
8 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
A
major challenge in using hydrogen
to power motor vehicles is the dif-
ficulty in transporting H2 to refuel-
ing stations. Researchers at CSIRO
Energy (Melbourne, Australia; www.csiro.
au/energy) have responded to the challenge
by converting H2 to NH3 and then using ex-
isting transport infrastructure. NH3 is well
suited for use as a H2 carrier, because it is
a liquid at moderate pressures and tempera-
tures and has a volumetric hydrogen density
about 45% higher than liquid H2. The effi-
ciency and cost benefits of using NH3 as a
hydrogen carrier increase with the distance
between production and utilization.
CSIRO achieves the conversion of NH3
back to high-purity H2 at, or near, the point
of use, by means of a catalytic membrane
that allows hydrogen to pass through while
blocking all other gases. Coupling mem-
branes with a suitable catalyst for NH3 de-
composition allows efficient extraction of
pure H2 from NH3. The membrane is a vana-
dium-based alloy, and is said to deliver pure
H2 at a far lower cost than the competing
palladium-based membrane technology.
CSIRO is working on a two-year project
to demonstrate its H2-production system,
to deliver at least 5 kg/d of H2, directly from
ammonia. The project is being being sup-
ported by BOC, Hyundai, Toyota and Re-
newable Hydrogen Pty Ltd.
WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
This portable device offers a
quick check of produce

A
micro portable pesticide detector for food
analysis, called a Handheld Pesticide Residue
Detector, has been developed by the Smart Mi-
crosystems Technology Center of the Industrial
Technology Research Institute (ITRI, Hsinchu City, Tai- Steel Belt Systems for the
wan; www.itri.org.tw). Chemical & Petrochemical Industry
The detector is based on the absorption spectrum
of chemical products, such as agricultural pesticides,
and can indicate the level of pesticide residues in fruits
and vegetables within a few seconds. The device also
features Bluetooth — a wireless technology standard
for exchanging data over short distances from fixed
and mobile devices — and a wireless charger. Lamps
on the wireless charger indicate the testing results. A
red light indicates that pesticide levels seriously exceed
standards, and that the fruits and vegetables should be SBS Group designs and builds
vigorously washed before consumption. A yellow light
means that there is also a high level of pesticides, but continuous process plants, equipped
not as high as that shown by a red light. A green light with steel belts from Berndorf Band,
means the amount of pesticide residue is either small or
for a wide range of applications in the
nonexistent and the item is safe to consume.
ITRI says the detector already addresses eight of the chemical, petrochemical, rubber and
ten most widely used water-soluble pesticides in Taiwan. food industry.
If used in conjunction with specialized fruit and vegetable
cleaners, the detector can also be used to detect fat-sol-
uble pesticides at levels up to 0.5 parts per million (ppm), Having been pioneers in the
and will indicate when cleansing is complete.
Since pesticide use varies among countries, future development of pastillating units,
versions of the detector will be tailored to the needs of SBS is able to supply also complete
various markets, indicating the level of the pesticides
commonly used in any particular country. packages for the solidiication of
liquid sulphur into pastilles.

Bioethanol from bagasse

Rolldrop® and Accudrop® are

T
sukishima Kikai Co. (www.tsk-g.co.jp) and JFE En-
registered trademarks of SBS Group.
gineering Corp. (both Tokyo, Japan; www.jfe-eng.
co.jp) have demonstrated a process that produces
bioethanol from bagasse, a waste product in the
production of sugar from sugarcane. With support from
NEDO under a four-year, $10-million project, the compa-
nies constructed a plant in Saraburi, Thailand, that is ca-
pable of processing 1,300 ton/yr of bagasse into 100,000
L/yr of ethanol. A key feature of the facility is that the en-
zymes used for breaking down the bagasse into ferment-
able sugars — Acremonium cellulolyticus C-1 — is pro-
duced on site, which considerably reduces enzyme costs
(by one fifth). Normally, commercial supply of enzymes ac-
counts for 25–50% of the production costs of a cellulosic
ethanol plant. Tsukishima Kikai and the National Institute of SBS Steel Belt Systems s.r.l.
Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST; Tsu- Phone: +39 0331 864 841
kuba City, Japan; www.aist.go.jp) developed the process
for producing the enzyme with bacteria cultures. info@steelbeltsystems.it
Although 60–80% of the bagasse supply has been used www.steelbeltsystems.com
by sugar plants as boiler fuel, the remaining bagasse has
typically been disposed of as excess stock without being www.berndorfband-group.com
used effectively. The NEDO project demonstrates the ef-
fectiveness of the on-site enzyme-production technol-
ogy and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation Partner of
(SSF) technology to utilize the excess bagasse.

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM

Circle 07 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-07
A hybrid power system combines SOFC and a gas turbine . . .
L
ast month, Mitsubishi Hitachi
Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS;
Yokohama, Japan; www.
mhps.com) launched a new,
pressurized, hybrid power-generation
system (photo) that integrates solid-
oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stacks with
micro gas turbines (MGT). The hybrid
system (diagram) has a broad range
of commercial and industrial applica-
tions, and is especially suitable for
distributed or cogeneration power
systems, says the company.
SOFCs are ceramic fuel cells that
operate at a high temperature of
900°C. In a pressurized hybrid sys-
tem, power is generated directly
by chemical reaction between O 2
in the air and H 2 and CO extracted
from reformed city gas; residual fuel
is then used to drive an MGT. This
… and a very efficient SOFC
M
eanwhile, Hitachi Zosen
Corp. (HITZ, Osaka and
Tokyo, Japan; www.
hitachizosen.co.jp) has in-
stalled a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC)
demonstration unit at Osaka Re-
search Institute of Industrial Science
and Technology, Izumi Center (Orist;
Osaka, http://orist.jp), and has been
performing tests since June. The
SOFC has achieved a total efficiency
Winning iron and titanium while making vanadium electrolyte
V
anadiumCorp Resource Inc.
(Vancouver, B.C., Canada;
www.vanadiumcorp.com) has
achieved direct and consistent
recovery of vanadium electrolyte, vana-
dium oxides and titanium from vanadifer-
ous titanomagnetite (VTM; vanadium-rich
Fe3–xTixO4) using hydroelectricity, from
the company’s Lac Dore Vanadium Proj-
ect in Quebec. The company has part-
nered with Electrochem Technologies &
Materials (Montreal, Que., Canada; www.
electrochem-technologies.com) for the
development of technologies to obtain
high-performance vanadium electrolyte
for energy storage applications.
VanadiumCorp has also success-
fully recovered high-purity electrolytic
iron directly from VTM concentrate
from drill core from its La Dore Vana-
dium Project using conventional mill-
ing and magnetic separation.
10
two-stage system achieves
significantly higher power gen-
eration efficiency and, as a re-
sult, saves substantial energy.
Air pressurized in the MGT's
compressor is supplied to the
SOFCs for use in generating
power, and then high-temper-
ature exhaust is fed to the MGT
and the heat and pressure, to-
gether with the residual fuel, Fuel
gas
are used to generate power.
The pressurized SOFCs, hav-
ing substantially increased voltage
as a result of pressurization, lead
to enhanced power generation ef-
ficiency, says the company.
The demonstration system is in
the 250-kW class, and delivers
generation efficiency of 55%. It is a
follow-up to the prototype (Model
of 90% (50% electrical, 40% thermal),
which is said to be the highest level
obtained thus far. Researchers say
the unit has undergone 4,000 hours
of continuous operation under actual
load conditions.
The unit is part of a three-year proj-
ect — supported by the NEDO — that
is scheduled for completion in No-
vember. HITZ plans to start market-
ing SOFCs with capacities of 20 to
The company’s president and CEO,
Adriaan Bakker, says the technology
was developed keeping in mind that in
addition to vanadium, both iron and ti-
tanium also have high value. Currently
available technology was not able to
recover all three metals while produc-
ing high-purity iron.
Conventional pyrometallurgical pro-
cesses use either direct soda-ash
roasting of the magnetite followed by
water leaching, or arc smelting and
slagging of the magnetite followed by
soda ash roasting of the vanadium-rich
slag. However, smelting and roasting
are capital and energy intensive, and
emit greenhouse gases.
Hydrometallurgical processes for
extracting vanadium have been pro-
posed, but have failed to be robust.
Also, they do not produce iron and do
not allow for acid recycling.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
mhps
1st stage
SOFC Micro
gas turbine
2nd stage
(fuel cell)
15) system that has been undergo-
ing demonstration testing at Kyushu
University since spring 2015. The
system was developed with support
of the New Energy and Industrial
Technology Development Organiza-
tion (NEDO; Kawasaki, Japan; www.
nedo.go.jp).
several hundred kilowatts for power
generation of stores, office buildings
and apartment buildings in the 2017
fiscal year, after surveying the market
volumes and economic feasibility. The
company says the technology is also
suitable for truck-loaded emergency
power generation during disasters.
The HITZ SOFC technology also
uses H2 fuel obtained by reforming
city gas.
The VanadiumCorp-Electrochem
technology addresses those issues
— it is emissions-free and with low
energy consumption — and allows full
recovery of vanadium chemicals used
for preparing VanadiumCorp electro-
lyte as well as the concurrent produc-
tion of a high-quality iron coproduct.
The company initially grinds the feed-
stock to 40 µm. The material is then
placed in a tank with sulfuric acid and
dissolved by adding water. The VTM
concentrate is converted into cop-
peras crystal (FeSO4.6H2O). The vast
majority of impurities drop to the bot-
tom. High-purity iron is then recovered
by electrowinning, while vanadium
remains in solution and TiO2 is left as
marketable residue. The company
plans to expand its process with ad-
ditional feedstocks to reach one metric
ton per month nameplate capacity.
SEPTEMBER 2017
 Dual-functioning MOFs maintain a also opens the door for the synthesis of nitrogen
comfortable room humidity compounds beyond ammonia, and forms the
basis for developing catalytic processes for the

R
esearchers from the King
Abdullah University of Sci-
ence and Technology
(KAUST; Thuwal, Saudi
Arabia; www.kaust.edu.sa) have de-
veloped a metal-organic framework
(MOF) material that can regulate the
humidity levels within the “window”
established by the American Society
of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Con-
ditioning Engineers. The materials
may also find applications controlling
the humidity in control rooms, aircraft
cabins or other enclosed spaces.
Mohamed Eddaoudi and his team
in the Advanced Membranes and
Porous Materials Center assembled
water-stable Y-shp-MOF-5, which
is a highly connected MOF in which
rare earth-metal-based clusters are
connected by 12 organic linkers.
This material was found to selec-
tively adsorb water, depending on
the relative humidity (RH). When the
RH exceeds 55%, the water adsorp-
tion increases dramatically, thereby
reducing the humidity in the room.
If the RH falls below 45%, the ab-
sorbed water is released. As a result,
the MOFs can autonomously main-
tain the RH at the comfortable range
of 45–65%, say the researchers. The
material was shown to retain this be-
havior after more than 1,000 adsorp-
tion-desorption cycles.
The presence of the high propor-
tion of organic (hydrophobic) link-
ers are thought to be responsible
for the MOFs’ low water adsorption
at low RH. “Only at higher water-
vapor pressure is the hydrophobicity
overcome, as water molecules form
rapidly growing clusters within the
MOF’s pores, says Abdul Halim, one
of Eddaoudi’s doctoral students.
Eddaoudi says the team is pursu-
ing the development of new MOFs
with similar adsorption-desorption
properties, but with superior water-
uptake capacity. The details of the re-
search are reported in a recent issue
of the J. of the Am. Chem. Soc. ■
production of nitrogen-containing organic mol-
ecules from molecular nitrogen.
WIRELESS CHARGING
Blue Inductive GmbH (Freiburg, Germany; www.
blue-inductive.de) has recently received Series
Seed financing to accelerate the market launch
of its wireless power systems to market. The seed
investment was led by a consortium, consisting of
Phoenix Contact Innovation Ventures, High-Tech
Gruenderfonds, MBG Mittelstaendische Beteili-
gungsgesellschaft Baden-Wuerttemberg and VC
Fonds Baden-Wuerttemberg, as well as a Busi-
ness Angel and the founders.
Founded in 2016 by former scientists of
Fraunhofer Institute ISE in Freiburg, the team at
Blue Inductive develops wireless charging sys-
tems for industrial applications, such as mobile
robots, automated guides vehicles or electric
forklifts. The technology is based on the prin-
ciple of magnetic induction and includes several
innovations of circuit topology, control strategy
and coil design. The so-called etaLink technol-
ogy allows super-fast charging with high power
and efficiency with compact, lightweight and bi-
directional hardware. The company is expected
to launch its first commercial product in the
short-term. ❏

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Circle 11 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-11

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 11

 Business News
LINEUP Plant Watch Ineos to build world-scale
cumene plant in Germany
AIRGAS
$8-billion phosphate megaproject
starts up in Saudi Arabia July 28, 2017 — Ineos’ (London, U.K.; www.
ALTANA August 11, 2017 — Fluor Corp. (Irving, Tex.; ineos.com) Phenol division is planning to build
www.fluor.com) announced that the Ma’aden a world-scale cumene plant in Germany with
CB&I
Wa’ad Al-Shamal Phosphate Co.’s Umm startup scheduled in 2020. The construction of
CH2M HILL Wu’al Phosphate Project in Saudi Arabia a new cumene plant will improve the security
FLUOR has started production. Fluor is providing of raw material supply to Ineos’ phenol and
overall program-management services for this acetone plants located in Gladbeck, Germany
INDORAMA $8-billion megaproject, which will deliver and Antwerp, Belgium.
INEOS 3 million metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of
diammonium phosphate and nitrogen, as Indorama inaugurates
JACOBS ENGINEERING fertilizer plant in Nigeria
well as phosphorus and potash fertilizers.
LINDE July 28, 2017 — Indorama Ventures Public
Ineos Styrolution to increase Ltd. (Bangkok, Thailand; www.indorama.net)
MEXICHEM announced the inauguration of a fertilizer plant
compounding capacity in India
MITSUI CHEMICALS August 10, 2017 — Ineos Styrolution (Frankfurt located in Nigeria, built by Indorama Eleme
am Main, Germany; www.ineos-styrolution.com) Fertilizer and Chemicals Ltd. at a cost of
SHOWA DENKO $1.5 billion. The plant has a production capacity
plans to increase its compounding capacity
TRONOX for engineering plastics by an additional of 4,000 m.t./d of nitrogenous fertilizers.
WANHUA CHEMICAL
34,000 m.t./yr at its Moxi plant in Gujarat,
India. Projected for completion in 2019, Mitsui Chemicals increases
YOKOGAWA this expansion will increase Styrolution’s global PP processing capabilities
compounding capacity to 100,000 m.t./yr at July 26, 2017 — Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo,
the site. This project will involve an estimated Japan; www.mitsuichem.com) announced that
capital expenditure of $20 million. augmentation has been completed at three
of its global polypropylene (PP) compound
Fluor awarded EPCM contract for hubs in the U.S., Mexico and India. In India,
Petronas isononanol plant the company started up one new production
August 8, 2017 — Fluor was awarded an line, followed by two new lines in the U.S.
engineering, procurement and construction and one new line in Mexico. Together, the
management (EPCM) contract by Petronas expansions raise global production capacity by
Refinery and Petrochemical Corp. (Kuala 50,000 m.t./yr to a total of 1.05 million m.t./yr.
Lumpur, Malaysia; www.petronas.com) for
an isononanol plant located in Pengerang, Indorama completes PTA
Johor, Malaysia. The facility will produce expansion in Rotterdam
250,000 m.t./yr of isononanol, and startup July 26, 2017 — Indorama completed the
is expected in 2019. brownfield expansion of its purified terephthalic
acid (PTA) plant in Rotterdam, the Netherlands,
Mexichem starts up expanded resulting in an increase in PTA capacity from
specialty-PVC facility in Marl 380,000 to 700,000 m.t./yr. The Rotterdam
August 4, 2017 — Vestolit GmbH, a 100% facility’s PTA is used as a major feedstock of
subsidiary of Mexichem S.A.B. de C.V. the site’s integrated polyethylene terephthalate
(Tlalnepantla, Mexico; www.mexichemcom), (PET) production plant.
has started up a specialty polyvinyl chloride
(PVC) capacity expansion in Marl, Germany. Mergers & Acquisitions
With this expansion, Mexichem has installed Airgas to sell refrigerants
a new production line with additional drying business for $220 million
capacity of 40,000 m.t. for PVC products. August 11, 2017 — Airgas (Radnor, Pa.;
www.airgas.com) has signed an agreement
Linde to construct two ASUs for with Hudson Technologies, Inc. (Pearl River,
Wanhua Chemical Group in China N.Y.; www.hudsontech.com) to sell Airgas-
July 28, 2017 — The Linde Group (Munich, Refrigerants, Inc. (ARI), its subsidiary specializing
Germany; www.the-linde-group.com) signed in the distribution, packaging and reclamation
an agreement with isocyante producer Wanhua of refrigerant gases. The transaction, which
Chemical Group to expand the supply of is expected to close before the end of 2017,
gas to Wanhua’s Yantai, China operations. is said to be valued at around $220 million.
Under the agreement, Linde will invest €108
million to build two additional steam-driven CB&I intends to sell its
Look for more air-separation units (ASUs) which are Technology business
latest news on expected to come onstream in 2019, August 10, 2017 — CB&I (The Woodlands, Tex.;
chemengonline.com complementing the two existing ASUs. www.cbi.com) intends to sell the company’s
12 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
Technology business. CB&I is aiming to close the transaction
by the end of 2017. CB&I’s Technology business provides
proprietary process licenses, project-development
services and aftermarket support primarily for the
petrochemical and petroleum-refining industries. The sale
is also intended to include the former Engineered Products
business, which specializes in equipment modularization,
proprietary equipment and engineering services.
Visit us!
Powtech, Nuremberg, Germany
Altana acquires packaging
September 26 - 28, 2017
and additive manufacturing assets
Hall 1, stand 627
August 10, 2017 — Altana AG (Wesel, Germany; www.
altana.com) has acquired a technology portfolio and
research-and-development platform from U.S.-based
NuLabel Technologies, Inc. It comprises technologies for
additive manufacturing and resealable packaging that use
lower quantities of consumable materials. The acquired
technologies will be integrated into Altana’s Actega North
America division.

Showa Denko to acquire

silicon-carbide manufacturing assets
August 7, 2017 — By the end of January 2018, Showa
Denko K.K. (SDK; Tokyo, Japan; www.sdk.co.jp) will
acquire assets concerning the Sublimation-Recrystallization
Method for manufacturing silicon carbide (SiC) wafers
from Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. (NSSMC) and
Nippon Steel & Sumikin Materials Co. (NSMAT).

Tronox to sell Alkali Chemicals

business for $1.3 billion
August 3, 2017 — Tronox Ltd. (Stamford, Conn.; www.
tronox.com) announced that it has signed a definitive
SOME THINK
agreement to sell its Alkali Chemicals business to Genesis
Energy, L.P. (Houston; www.genesisenergy.com) for A MARGIN
$1.325 billion in cash. The transaction is expected to close
in the second half of 2017, subject to customary regulatory
approvals and closing conditions. Alkali Chemicals is said
OF ERROR IS
to be the world’s largest producer of natural soda ash, and
has mining and processing facilities in Green River, Wyo. ACCEPTABLE.
Jacobs Engineering
acquires CH2M Hill WE THINK
August 2, 2017 — Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.
(Dallas, Tex.; www.jacobs.com) will acquire all of the
outstanding shares of CH2M Hill Companies Ltd.
DIFFERENT.
(Englewood, Colo.; www.ch2m.com) in a cash and stock
transaction with an enterprise value of approximately The BEUMER fillpac® R is a filling system with a
$3.27 billion. CH2M is a leader in key sectors that Jacobs difference. Using revolutionary microprocessor-based
has previously targeted for growth, including water and weighing electronics with vertical filling impellers and
environmental services. the bag discharge system including a check weigher,
it delivers entirely new standards of precision and
Yokogawa acquires Norwegian
chemical-injection specialist performance: automatic optimisation; 300-6,000 bags
July 24, 2017 — Yokogawa Electric Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; per hour; individual bag tracking and latest PMS
www.yokogawa.com) announced the acquisition of generation; we know what it takes to streamline your
TechInvent AS, a Norwegian enterprise that holds the end-of-line productivity.
rights to FluidCom, a chemical injection metering valve For next generation packaging solutions that make a
(CIMV) technology. FluidCom prevents blockages and difference, visit www.beumergroup.com
corrosion in pipelines, and employs a patented technology
for thermal control. It incorporates the functions of a mass
flowmeter, control valve and valve controller. ■
Mary Page Bailey
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM 13
Circle 08 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-08
 Newsfront

Modern Temperature
Sensors Increase Accuracy
Both new and traditional technologies simplify and improve the temperature-sensing process

IN BRIEF

T
emperature is cited as Siemens Industry

CHALLENGING the most frequently

APPLICATIONS measured variable in
chemical processing
IMPROVED TRADITIONAL
plants. As a result, there is no
SENSORS
shortage of instruments avail-
able and the offerings run the
gamut from traditional thermo-
couples and resistance tem-
perature detectors (RTDs) to
more modern and intelligent
FIGURE 1. The Sitrans TO500 multipoint measuring system evaluates a large
versions of these common in- number of temperature measuring sensors, which are arranged on a very narrow
struments straight on through fiber-optic measuring lance
to higher technology measure-
ment tools. As a bonus, no matter which of in extremely harsh environments, technolo-
the many options suit your chemical pro- gies have been developed to bring simplicity,
cessing needs, most of today’s tempera- accuracy and reliability to traditionally difficult
ture measurement instruments are updated and costly measurement points.
and re-designed to simplify the temperature For example, Siemens Industry
sensing process, while making it more ac- (Hauppauge, N.Y.; www.siemens.com)
curate and reliable. has recently introduced the Sitrans TO500
“As with all measurement instruments, the multipoint measuring system (Figure 1) for
higher the accuracy and reliability of the sen- evaluating a large number of temperature
sor, the more valuable it is to the user be- measuring sensors, which are arranged on
cause tighter, more accurate process control a very narrow fiber-optic measuring lance.
results in better quality and utilization,” says The system consists of a read-out unit, the
Ted Johnson, director of global temperature transmitter and the measuring lance, which
sales with SOR Controls Group (Lenexa, can be connected to up to 48 temperature
Kan.; www.sorinc.com). “This is especially sensors on the transmitter at four channels.
true in temperature measurement because Up to four measuring probes can be used to
temperature is the most measured process process 192 measuring points at the same
variable in the plant. And, when you have time by one Sitrans TO500.
the most accurate temperature sensor pos- The technology is based on fiber Bragg
sible, you have tighter control of the process, gratings (FBGs), which are arranged at
which means you are optimizing the amount individually defined points on the sensor
of energy needed to heat and cool the pro- probe. The transmitter sends light waves
cess. Not only does this save energy, but to the fiber-optic sensors and evaluates
tighter, more accurate temperature control the reflected portions. In the transmitter,
means improved repeatability and consis- light is generated in the wavelength range
tency of the process, which is essential in from 1,500 to 1,600 nm and output to the
chemical processing.” sensors’ measuring probe by means of a
continuously tunable laser light. Each fiber
Challenging applications Bragg grating reflects light of a defined
For the most challenging applications, which wavelength. The wavelength reflected by
include taking multipoint measurements, the grating varies depending upon the tem-
continuous measurements or measurements perature. The reflection at the FBGs pro-
14 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
Ametek Land Instruments Emerson Automation Solutions

FIGURE 2. The NIR Borescope (NIR-B) 3XR is an

imaging camera for continuous temperature mea-
surement and furnace optimization and monitoring
of steam-reformer and cracker tubes

vides a measure of the temperature

at the respective measuring point. A
gas cell with a fixed absorption line
serves as a reference in the Sitrans
TO500, and the wavelength deter-
mination is continuously adjusted
by it. The transmitter provides the
determined values for analysis in
control systems via a Profibus DP
interface and makes them available
for management of the assets and
FIGURE 3. X-well Technology delivers accurate process temperature data without thermowells or process
penetration
optimization of the process.
“We were approached by our
chemical customers who were look-
ing for a better way to do multipoint
temperature measurement in tanks
and vessels because the traditional
method of placing a single-point
measurement sensor every few feet
and wiring that back to the control
system is a very clunky and time-
consuming way of getting multiple
point measurements in a tank or ves-
sel,” says Justin DiNunzio, product
marketing manager with Siemens. “It
was also very costly because it often
required a very large thermowell to

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Most engineers would agree that pumps represent the workhorse component in any chem-
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CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 15


hold hundreds of these sensors,
which sometimes necessitates the
use of a crane to put the large and
heavy thermowell into the tank and
pull it in and out of service if one of
the points fails.”
The fiber optic technology, he
says, provides users with a light-
weight, simple method to take mul-
tiple point measurements inside
large reactors, tanks or vessels,
alerts the user to any issues and al-
lows them to take corrective action
quickly. “Picture a reactor and our
lance installed vertically from top to
bottom,” says DiNunzio. “Chemical
processors want to know what the
temperature is every few inches or
feet because if the reaction gets too
hot at any of these points inside the
reactor, it could bake or overcook
the chemical or catalyst, which can
be very costly. The fiber optic system
gives a great indication of where hot
spots are occurring and allows them
take measures to cool it down.”
Another challenging chemical
process industries (CPI) situation
is achieving continuous, accurate
temperature monitoring in critical
applications, according to Thomas
Fortinberry, business development
manager for industrial gas with Am-
etek Land Instruments International
(Dronfield Derbyshire, England;
www.landinst.com). “Traditionally,
an operator takes a temperature
reading once every shift or every
few days, but this leaves a lot of
time when the equipment is not
being monitored, so issues may be
missed or a situation could arise
where equipment overheats and
causes damage between readings,”
he says. “Also, it is not always the
same operator and measurements
are not taken in the same spot or
under the same conditions, so you
can’t use the acquired data for any
type of trending.
“However,” he continues, “contin-
uous temperature measurement be-
comes a very powerful tool for trend-
ing because with 24/7 monitoring,
you get repeatable, reliable results
that can be trended, allowing users
to see how the equipment is oper-
ating over time. This allows them to
tweak the process and prevent un-
16
Endress+Hauser
wanted downtime.”
To provide users with these
benefits, Ametek Land has intro-
duced the NIR Borescope (NIR-B)
3XR (Figure 2). The instrument is a
short-wavelength radiometric, in-
frared borescope imaging camera
for steam-reformer and cracker-
tube continuous temperature mea-
surement and furnace optimiza-
tion and monitoring. It provides a
high-resolution thermal image with
realtime continuous, high-accuracy
temperature measurements of
both the tube wall and refractory
wall surface. The camera measures
temperatures in a single range from
600 to 1,800°C and uses wide dy-
namic-range imaging technology,
making it suitable for applications
with high differential temperature in
the filed of view, such as tube and
furnace walls.
And, for extremely challenging
conditions such as the high-pres-
sure, high-temperature and highly
corrosive environments often found
in the CPI, Emerson Automation
Solution’s Rosemount division (St.
Louis, Mo.; www.emerson.com)
has developed a technology that
“solves the problem of having the
measurement point in the process,”
says Ryan Leino, senior product FIGURE 4: Shown here is Endress+Hauser's TM411
engineer, marketing/business de- with QuickSens and StrongSens as an option
velopment with Rosemount. The pressure compatibility of thermow-
X-well Technology (Figure 3) deliv- ells being placed in the harsh envi-
ers accurate process temperature ronment found inside the process,”
data without thermowells or process explains Leino.
penetration. Measuring the ambient
and pipe-surface temperature, this Improved traditional sensors
surface-temperature solution calcu- Challenging applications aside, the
lates the process temperature via a bulk of temperature measurements
thermal conductivity algorithm. This in the CPI are still made with ther-
calculation takes into account the mocouples and RTDs. “The number
thermal conductive properties of of specialty applications in any given
the assembly and pipe for reliable plant is a small minority compared
and accurate process temperature to the bulk of measurements, which
measurements, allowing the sur- are standard pipeline measurement,
face-temperature-sensor solution to process tank, storage tank and me-
accurately measure internal process tering stations where temperature is
temperature, simplify measurement needed as part of the flow calcula-
point specification, installation and tions,” says SOR’s Johnson. For this
maintenance and reduce possible reason, it is very important that tra-
leak points. ditional temperature measurement
“This non-intrusive measurement sensors are manufactured properly,
solution was designed to clamp onto he says. “The last thing you want
the pipe so that there are no issues is for a $100 RTD or thermocouple
with materials, temperature and to fail and possibly shut down a
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
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ukgogpu0eqo1ukvtcpuvq722

Circle 46 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-46

 Tel-Tru
FIGURE 5. Digi-Tel thermometers provide digital display of key process temperatures in addition to reli-
able transmitter output to remote devices within the facility that can be integrated into expanded control
systems to help processes run more efficiently
$2-million reactor or ruin a batch of
product,” he says. “So processors
shouldn’t necessarily view these
instruments as a commodity pur-
chase. Quality temperature sensor
fabrication is a highly skilled, intri-
cate manufacturing process involv-
ing precise welding and soldering of
junctions and attaching small-gauge
lead wires. So it is important to find
a supplier that pays rigorous atten-
tion to the manufacturing process,
ensuring that the process is very re-
peatable and includes multiple qual-
ity checks.”
In addition to a high quality and
reliable product offering, says John-
son, many temperature sensor man-
ufacturers also provide engineering
and technical support, particularly
when it comes to thermowells (the
protection tube that is installed in
the pipeline or tank that protects
and allows the temperature sensor
to be replaced while the process
is still running). “It requires a fair
amount of engineering work based
upon the velocity of the process to
design thermowells so that vibra-
tion or process factors don’t cause
the thermowell to break apart and
cause damage to the equipment or
process. And, there’s additional en-
gineering work involved in specifying
thermowells, which can be a chal-
18
lenge for many chemical processors
because their knowledge base in
this area is dwindling. This means
as consumers of temperature mea-
surement devices and thermowells,
it’s important to find a reliable ven-
dor who can collaborate with you to
provide the latest requirements per
industry codes and standards, ad-
vances in performance capabilities,
application knowledge and support.
Experienced vendors can help solve
problems and ensure that only the
most reliable and accurate instru-
ments make it into the process.”
In addition to working toward
achieving the highest manufactur-
ing standards, many suppliers are
developing variations on the stan-
dard temperature measurement of-
ferings in an effort to meet the chal-
lenges of today’s CPI. For example,
Endress+Hauser (E+H; Greenwood,
Ind.; www.us.endress.com) set
out to improve the performance of
RTDs. “Although RTDs generally
provide higher levels of accuracy
and repeatability, the downside is
that they are slower to respond to
temperature changes than thermo-
couples,” says Ehren Kiker, product
marketing manager for pressure and
temperature products with E+H.
“So we developed an RTD sensor
that is still a three-wire RTD with the
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Schneider Electric
FIGURE 6. RTT80 is a microprocessor-based tem-
perature transmitter with HART communication that
receives input signals from thermocouples and RTDs
accuracy and level of performance
associated with RTDs, but that has
the response time of a thermocou-
ple to give customers the flexibility
of having both higher performance
and faster response time.”
E+H’s iTherm QuickSens offers
a short response time (t90 = 0.75
s) combined with precise, fast and
stable temperature measurement.
It measures from –50 to 200°C and
is vibration resistant up to 60g (g =
9.8 m/s2). And, for plants that are
exposed to vibrations, the iTherm
StrongSens (Figure 4) offers shock
and vibration resistance of >60g.
“The StrongSens is important be-
cause one of the main causes of
RTD failure in the chemical indus-
try is vibration, so if the user has
a sensor that continuously fails
because the pipe where they take
the measurement shakes violently,
we can provide this sensor be-
cause it is more robust in these
difficult applications. It saves time
and money in that it doesn’t have
to be replaced every few months
and, when there’s a few hundred
of these measurement points in
one facility, there is real value to the
user,” says Kiker.
Another improvement is the ad-
dition of digital displays with added
outputs on standard tempera-
ture measurement offerings, says
Christopher Smock, vice president
of operations and manufacturing
with Tel-Tru (Rochester, N.Y.; www.
teltru.com). “As we move more
toward the Industrial Internet of
WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
Things, driven by both technology
and the regulatory environment,
the automation of processes and
process monitoring is a growing
trend,” he says. “And, as a result,
we have recently added a 4–20-mA
output on our Digi-Tel line of ther-
mometers.” Digi-Tel thermometers
(Figure 5) provide digital display of
key process temperatures in addi-
tion to reliable transmitter output
to remote devices within the facil-
ity that can be integrated into ex-
panded control systems to help
processes run more efficiently. The
new Digi-Tel series also includes a
PC-based calibration software tool
that allows users to quickly and
easily adjust the number of sig-
nificant digits on the digital display
and to field calibrate Digi-Tel elec-
tronic thermometers to traceable
or relative accuracy standards.
Taking it a step further, some sup-
pliers are adding intelligence and
diagnostics to temperature mea-
surement devices. For example, the
Foxboro division of Schneider Electric
(Foxboro, Mass.; www.schneider-
electric.com) offers Model RTT80
(Figure 6), which is a microproces-
sor-based temperature transmitter
with HART communication protocol
that receives input signals from ther-
mocouples and RTDs. “One of the
most important trends is diagnostic
capability in a temperature measure-
ment system,” says Steven West,
temperature product manager with
Schneider Electric. “Users are look-
ing for a means to detect corrosion
of wires, broken wires and shorts or
open wires that would alert them to
a problem in the temperature mea-
surement loop. We have developed
a way to provide diagnostics based
on dual sensors.”
He says it is very common for
a temperature probe to have two
sensors and to have both moni-
tored by the transmitter electron-
ics. The RTT80 is capable of op-
erating with dual sensors and has
the ability to detect short or open
circuits and has a “hot back up” or
redundancy feature and can detect
corrosion when used with a four-
wire RTD. The transmitter is also
rated for safety integrity levels (SIL)
and the software has been vetted
to comply with international stan-
dards for use in safety systems,
so it can be used to turn on or off
safety systems based on tempera-
ture measurements.
“Not only are these capabilities
helpful for safety reasons, but also
in a chemical-processing environ-
ment, the synthesis of a chemical or
a chemical reaction is being moni-
tored because these processes are
very temperature sensitive,” he says.
“They may occur only within a cer-
tain temperature window or there
may be an optimal temperature to
achieve the greatest yield, so intel-
ligent diagnostic capabilities in tem-
perature measurement can provide
great peace of mind and great sav-
ings for the user.” n
Joy LePree

SE E US
CO M E AN D
AT PO W TE CH
, 2017
A Guide to Advanced and Next-Generation SEPT 26 – 28
AN D 431
HA LL 4A, ST
Battery Technology and Materials

This comprehensive guidebook

provides descriptions of the
major battery technologies
and materials in the advanced
and next-generation
battery markets, as well as
information on many of
the companies operating
in the advanced and
next-generation battery
industries.

Included in this guidebook is a table that CAN DO!

represents a list of selected technology- Every pipework system is unique, like a work of art. Our service is
development companies in the advanced just the same, tailored exactly to your needs. With us, individual
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28014

Learn more at store.chemengonline.com www.jacob-pipesystems.com NO. 1 IN PIPEWORK SYSTEMS

Circle 23 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-23

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 19

 Focus
Feeding and Weighing
Bulk Solids Single unit combines bin
Dynamic Air Conveying Systems
discharge and feeding
The Gyro Ex Bin Activating Feeder/
Discharger (photo) is a combination
bin discharger and high-accuracy
feeder that provides a turndown
ratio of up to 100:1. It uses a radial
force to create a uniform circular
motion on both the upper activa-
tion cone and the lower discharge
cone, producing a controlled gyra-
tory motion that withdraws granular
materials from bins, storage silos
and hoppers. — Dynamic Air, Inc.,
St. Paul, Minn.
www.dynamicair.com
Advanced design makes
weighing tiny amounts easier
Laboratory projects involving expen-
sive, rare or toxic substances often
demand that only the smallest pos-
Mettler Toledo sible sample quantities are used.
The challenge is to prevent waste by
accurately weighing just a few milli-
grams, and minimizing the risk of out-
of-specification results and costly
reworking. The XPR Microbalance
(photo) allows for accurate weigh-
ing of very small amounts (down to
several milligrams). Features include
active temperature control, which
helps keep the balance temperature
constant for improved accuracy. Its
proprietary software provides easily
Eriez
identifiable, self-explanatory icons
that are displayed on an intuitive,
smartphone-like touchscreen, says
the company. — Mettler Toledo,
Griefensee, Switzerland
www.mt.com
Spare-parts kits for
compact vibratory feeders
This company now offers spare-
parts kits for its light- and medium-
duty vibratory feeders (which have
totally enclosed, patented mag-
netic drives). These spare-parts kits
(photo) contain the parts needed to
rebuild most the company’s Model
A, C and High Speed (HS) and High
Scaletron Industries Deflection (HD) vibratory feeders. A
Note: For more information, circle the 3-digit number on p. 102, or use the website designation.
20 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
typical kit includes a corded elec-
trical assembly, diaphragm, shock
mounts, elastomers (several ver-
sions), tuning springs (front and
back), spacers and associated hard-
ware. — Eriez, Erie, Pa.
www.eriez.com
Automatic volumetric feeder
saves time, improves accuracy
The Model VMF-28 auger-style volu-
metric screw feeders, featuring a fully
intergrated Scaletron scale (photo),
are designed for the metered dis-
pensing of powdered or pelletized
additives (such as alum, carbon, lime,
polymers, soda ash and other dry
bulk solids) into water, wastewater
and chemical-treatment processes.
Precise dosage amounts are autmo-
matically weighed and added to treat-
ment processes without requiring
manual operator involvement. Data
are displayed at a central monitoring
station, where operators can quickly
make adjustments, as needed, from
the control panel. Heat, moisture and
other environmental variables can
cause additives (such as lime and
carbon) to absorb or dissipate water,
and such changes can result in not
enough, or too much, material being
introduced into the treatment process.
By monitoring weight loss or gain, the
company’s feeders provide operators
with constant, realtime assessment
of the total mass of additive being
used.— Scaletron Industries, Inc.,
Plumsteadville, Pa.
www.scaletronscales.com
Small-footprint weigh feeder
can move a lot of solids
The Model 408 Series weigh feeders
provide an economical and compact
means to accurately and depend-
ably feed a range of dry solid mate-
rials, with a compact footprint mea-
suring just 18 in. × 28 in. The Model
408 feedrates range from a fraction
of a pound, to thousands of pounds,
per hour, with continuous meter-
ing accuracies ranging from ±0.25
WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
to 1% or better error at two sigma,
says the company. High-resolution
weight sensing is accomplished by
the company’s Ratiometric Digi-
tal Weight Resolver, which instan-
taneously produces an unampli-
fied, non-integrated, realtime weigh
signal for precise feedrate control
using one of the company’s multi-
process controllers.— Acrison, Inc.,
Moonachie, N.J.
www.acrison.com
Move flexible products through
a flexible conveying path
Spiroflow
The new heavy-duty Chainflow tubular
chain drag conveyor (photo) provides
gentle handling of powders and granu-
lar materials, particularly those that are
fragile. The totally enclosed, dust-free
chain-drag conveyor allows for flexible
layout configurations, and can deliver
materials continuously or in batches.
Its crevice-free material-contact sur-
faces are suitable for food-grade appli-
cations, as well as higher-density ma-
terials or abrasive products, says the
company. Similarly, its design is well-
suited for non-smearing powders and
high-density products, such as talcum
powder, detergents, woodchips and
pellets and more. This system offers
a conveying capacity up to 370 ft3/h
(10.5 m3/h), and can convey over long
distances with maximum straight-line
lengths to 250 ft (76 m) per conveyor,
while multiple conveyors can be linked
for longer distances. — Spiroflow,
Monroe, N.C.
www.spiroflow.com
Advances improve feeder
control and customization
The Disocont loss-in-weight feeder-
control platform (photo) includes sev-
eral new features, which have been
added to simpify operation and allow
for greater opportunities for custom-
ization. These include improved user-
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
Schenck
defined calibration sequences, de-
tailed event messaging texts and the
use of HTML5 for online equipment
monitoring (a change from Java).This
provides a wider range of access
and compatibility through various
web browsers and smartphones,
says the company. Users can set up
folders to ensure quick access to all
of the different parameters that are
critical and unique to each individual
process. Parameters that are rarely
used can be hidden, thereby elimi-
nating the need to search through
multiple parameters that are not rele-
vant for the user’s particular process.
— Schenck, Kansas City, Mo.
www.schenckprocess.com
THE
Wide conveying system allows
for better control while curing
PERFECT
FLOW
Electric actuators for all types of
industrial valves
Reliable and long-term service. AUMA
offers a comprehensive portfolio.
■ Customised solutions thanks to the
modular scheme
■ Simple power supply
Dymax
■ Low operating costs
■ Integration into all conventional
The Widecure Conveyor System
distributed control systems
(photo) has a 25-in.-wide belt, and
is designed for the curing of light- ■ Service worldwide
curable materials on larger parts,
or larger quantities of smaller parts.
The conveyor can be outfitted with
either a longwave (metal halide, UVA/
Visible) or shortwave (mercury, UVB/
UVC) bulb and delivers over 4 J/cm2 Discover our solutions
of curing energy at a conveying rate for the water industry
of 5 ft/min. Users can control various
curing parameters through a touch- www.auma.com
screen control panel, to achieve
greater curing flexibility tailored to
their specific application. — Dymax
Corp., Torrington, Conn. Circle 03 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-03
www.dymax.com
SEPTEMBER 2017 21
 Alliance Scale Scale-calibration service helps
users ensure quality operation
The Alliance Scale Calibration
Service (photo) can be performed
annually or at some other interval
to ensure consistent accuracy and
conformance to quality require-
ments. As a rule of thumb, if a
scale is used for an hour or less
per day, then an annual checkup
is advised. If the scale is used for
1–2 h/d then calibration twice per
year is recommended, while quar-
terly calibration is recommended
for scales that are used for 3–4
h/d. Services include a visual and
operation check of the operating
mechanism, testing with NIST-
traceable weights, and providing
a calibration report and calibration
certificate for an ISO audit. If nec-
essary, a written report and esti-
mated cost will be furnished for
any scale requiring further main-
tenance, says the company. —
Alliance Scale, Inc., Canton, Mass.
www.alliancescale.com
Testing facility lets users
evaluate feeder configurations
Flexicon This company’s recently opened
Technical Center in Duisberg,
Germany now has four full test lines
(with cranes that can lift standard
packaging such as silos, drums,
sacks and big bags), as well as
smaller test areas, and separate
areas that meet hygienic con-
siderations, to carry out a broad
array of both continuous and
batch testing. The individual test-
Ajax Equpment ing lines can be retooled indepen-
dently, and entire processes can
be simulated, to allow users to
test potential feeding options. —
Brabender Technologie GmbH &
Co. KG, Duisberg, Germany
www.brabender-technologie.com
This weigh hopper improves
pneumatic conveying accuracy
The new gain-in-weight hopper
with a Fill/Pass Valve for dilute-
phase conveying (photo, p. 33)
is suspended from three small-
scale load cells. Single or multiple
hoppers can be positioned along
a common vacuum or positive-
pressure pneumatic conveying
line for discharging of dry bulk sol-
ids by weight into single or mul-
Best Process Solutions tiple pieces of process equipment,
22 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
storage vessels or downstream
use points. The system’s control-
ler weighs a batch by changing
the position of the valve, which
diverts conveyed material into the
hopper. As the hopper fills, load
cells transmit weight-gain infor-
mation to a PLC. Once the batch
weight has been reached, the
valve redirects material from the
hopper and a controller actuates
a slide gate valve to open, discharg-
ing the weighted batch. The unit
is constructed of stainless steel,
and can be finished to industrial or
sanitary standards. — Flexicon
Corp., Bethlehem, Pa.
www.flexicon.com
This agitated screw feeder
reaches a new size milestone
This company’s largest agitated
screw feeder and screw conveyor
produced to date (photo) was re-
cently placed into service at a plas-
tics-and-polymers facility. Capable
of holding 3.5 tons of damp centri-
fuge cake, this stainless steel unit
has a large-capacity hopper with
multi-bladed agitator to provide gen-
tle agitation to maintain a “live” prod-
uct condition, disturb any potential
consolidation and deliver positive
infeed to the integral screw feeder.
The screw feeder and conveyor both
feature LynFlow ribbon flights, which
inhibit adhesive materials from clog-
ging the screw, says the company.
— Ajax Equpment Ltd., Bolton, U.K.
www.ajax.co.uk
Loss-in-weight system
batches powders or pellets
This company offers a variety of
bulk-processing equipment, includ-
ing bulk bag dischargers and fillers,
vibratory tables and complete batch-
ing systems, which can be custom
engineered to meet site-specific and
application-specific requirements.
The Model MTD-4K Bulk Bag Dis-
charger and feeder (photo) is a loss-
in-weight vibratory batch feeder sys-
tem that provides accurate, uniform
flow of a wide variety of materials.
The discharger and feeder sit on
load cells, with controls to stop the
feed when it reaches the desired
weight. — Best Process Solutions,
Inc., Brunswick, Ohio
www.bpsvibes.com
SEPTEMBER 2017
Weight indicators enjoy
expanded memory capacity
VPG Transducers
ing solutions for dry bulk-feeding
applications in a range of chemi-
cal process operations. The sys-
tem uses controlled vibration
to promote flow, to ensure uni-
form density of the materials,
and to completely fill and emp-
ties each flight of the feed screw,
says the company. As a result, all
weigh-feeding systems function
as highly accurate volumetric
feeders, eliminating inaccu-
racy during the refill cycle, says
the manufacturer. The full line
of product offerings includes
weigh feeders with screw sizes
from 1/4 in. to 18 in., offering
a broad range of belt, pan and
tube feeder-based systems. —
VibraScrew, Totowa, N.J.
www.vibrascrew.com ■
Suzanne Shelley

The recently upgraded, fully modu-

lar family of Intuition Series weight
indicators (photo) provide expanded
memory, which allows for the pa-
perless storage of up to 100,000
individual weighing records (from
10,000 before). The indicators com-
bine large, displays with an array of
advanced features and communi-
cation interfaces, including multiple
hardware and software options,
yielding a scalable, user-friendly
weight indicator option, says the
company. Additional features in-
clude simplified calibration and in-
When
strumentation setup. — VPG Trans-
ducers, Malvern, Pa.
Accuracy
www.vpgtransducers.com
Counts
Accurately weigh grams per
hour or tons per minute

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Our acclaimed thermal process When you need

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This company offer a broad line

of continuous and batch weigh- Circle 27 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-27

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 23

 Technology Profile
Acetic Acid Production from Methanol
By Intratec Solutions
A
cetic acid (also known as
ethanoic acid) is a carboxylic
acid found as dilute solutions
in plant and animal systems.
Industrially, the chemical is widely
used in organic processes, primarily in
the production of vinyl acetate mono-
mer and acetic anhydride.
The process
The following paragraphs describe
a process for producing acetic acid
from methanol and carbon monoxide,
based on rhodium-catalyzed carbon-
ylation. Figure 1 presents a simplified
flow diagram of the process.
Catalyst preparation. Initially, re-
cycled rhodium catalyst is treated
to recover the rhodium. The treated
catalyst is mixed with fresh catalyst, a
promoter (methyl iodide) and a stabi-
lizer (iodide salt). The mixture is then
dissolved in hot acetic acid under
pressurized carbon monoxide.
Carbonylation. The reactor is fed with
the catalyst solution, methanol and
carbon monoxide, along with recycle
streams. The reaction occurs in the
liquid phase, where dissolved carbon
monoxide combines with methanol to
yield acetic acid. Gases vented from
the reactor are cooled to recover un-
reacted methanol, methyl iodide and
methyl acetate. Uncondensable spe-
cies are sent to the methanol scrub-
ber, to prevent the loss of low-boiling
components, such as methyl iodide.
Liquid product is drawn off from the
reactor at a rate sufficient to maintain
a constant level, and is fed to a flash
vessel, where the catalyst solution is
withdrawn as a base stream and re-
cycled to the catalyst preparation. The
Fresh catalyst
make-up
CHW
1 4. Methanol scrubber
Carbon dioxide
2 3
5 ST
FIGURE 1. The diagram shows a typical rhodium-catalyzed carbonylation process for acetic acid production
24
Acetaldehyde Oxidation
Butane or Liquid-phase
naphtha oxidation
Ethanol Fermentation
n Raw material n Pathway n Main product
FIGURE 2. Methanol carbonylation is one of several possible pathways for the production of acetic acid
product overhead of the flash vessel
— an acetic acid stream containing
methyl iodide, methyl acetate and wa-
ter — is purified in distillation columns.
Purification. In the crude acetic acid
column, a gaseous stream from the
overhead, containing water, methyl io-
dide, methyl acetate and some acetic
acid, is condensed and recycled to the
carbonylation stage. A crude acetic
acid liquid stream, withdrawn as a side
draw, is routed to the drying column.
The bottom product, containing dis-
solved catalyst, is recycled to the flash.
In the drying column, water, methyl
iodide and methyl acetate are re-
moved from the crude acetic acid as
an overhead distillate, which is further
recycled to the carbonylation unit. The
column bottom stream, containing
acetic acid, is fed to a finishing col-
umn, where heavy ends are removed.
The acetic acid stream is finally passed
through ion-exchange resin beds to
remove iodide contaminants. Heavy-
ends from the finishing column are
sent to the acetic acid stripper, where
residual acetic acid is recovered as
overhead product and recycled to the
finishing column, while the bottom
product is discarded as waste acid.
Off-gas
4 3. Carbonylation reactor
Fresh methanol
CW
CW 10 Acetic acid
6 7 8 9
ST
Waste
acid
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Carbonylation Methanol
Acetic acid Oxidation Ethane
Anaerobic
Glucose
fermentation
Production pathways
Currently, the most important produc-
tion routes for acetic acid are based
on methanol carbonylation and oxida-
tion of acetaldehyde or light hydrocar-
bons. Figure 2 presents different path-
ways for acetic acid production.
Economic performance
The total operating cost (raw materials,
utilities, fixed costs and depreciation
costs) estimated to produce acetic acid
is about $560/ton of acetic acid. The
analysis is based on data from the sec-
ond quarter of 2013 using a plant with
capacity to produce 650,000 metric ton
per year of acetic acid.
This column is based on “Ace-
tic Acid Production from Methanol
– Cost Analysis,” a report published
by Intratec. It can be found at: www.
intratec.us/analysis/acetic-acid-pro-
duction-cost. n
Edited by Scott Jenkins
Editor’s note: The content for this column is supplied by In-
tratec Solutions LLC (Houston; www.intratec.us) and edited by
Chemical Engineering. The analyses and models presented
are prepared on the basis of publicly available and non-
confidential information. The content represents the opinions
of Intratec only. More information about the methodology for
preparing analysis can be found, along with terms of use, at
www.intratec.us/che.
1. Catalyst preparation
2. Carbon monoxide compressor
5. Flash vessel
6. Crude acetic acid column
7. Drying column
8. Finishing column
9. Acetic acid stripper
10. Ion exchange resins
11. Steam boiler
12. Cooling tower
11 13. Chilled water unit
CW 12
ST Steam
CHW 13 CW Cooling water
CHW Chilled water
WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
Facts At Your Fingertips
Heat-Transfer Fluid Selection
Department Editor: Scott Jenkins
H
eat-transfer fluid selection can
be intimidating when consid-
ering the long-term impact
on costs and operability. The right
fluid will provide optimal performance
and lifecycle costs, while freeing en-
gineers for other assignments. Most
engineers do not routinely consider
fluid selection, so making the proper
choice is a challenge. This one-page
reference offers guidance in this area,
and can serve as a basis for taking
advantage of the expertise of heat-
transfer fluid manufacturers.
Process requirements
The process will define the tempera-
ture and heat-duty requirements that
must be met by the fluid and the sup-
porting heat-transfer system. The
heat-transfer fluid must have the req-
uisite thermal stability to meet the pro-
cess demands, while providing long
fluid life expectancy.
The list of potential fluid candidates
may be shortened considerably by
defining the required operating tem-
peratures. The fluid’s bulk operating
temperature must be substantially
above the process temperature re-
quired in order to provide the driving
force for heat transfer.
Next to consider are the remain-
ing physical properties that are key
to heat-transfer efficiency. These
include: viscosity, density, thermal
conductivity and heat capacity of the
liquid. These terms combine to de-
termine the fluid-side heat-transfer
coefficient [Equation (1)].
h = C • k 0.58 • ρ0.79 • cp 0.42 • μ -0.37 (1)
Where, h is the heat-transfer coef-
ficient (within a tube), k is thermal
conductivity, cp is heat capacity, μ
is the viscosity and C is a constant
incorporating length, velocity and
pipe diameter. Note the exponent for
each term, which indicates the rela-
tive influence on the resulting heat-
transfer coefficient.
Next, the overall heat transfer coef-
ficient, U, is determined. This calcu-
lation considers process-side heat-
transfer coefficient (hi or ho), wall (rw)
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
200
180
and fouling (rf) resistances 160
[Equation (2)]. 140
1 1 1 120
= + + rw + rf (2)
U hi ho 100
80
This equation shows that
a high process-side heat- 60
transfer coefficient can 40
make the fluid selection 20
very important in increasing 0
U and potentially decreas-
ing heat-exchange surface
area requirements.
The combined effects of
fluid properties under design condi-
tions should be considered when
comparing fluid performance.
Cost of ownership
Cost of fluid ownership is more than
just the purchase price — lifecycle
costs should be carefully considered.
These include the following factors:
• Purchase price
• Impact on capital costs
• Operating costs
• Make-up addition rate and volume
• Fluid replacement frequency
• Impact on equipment costs
• System cleaning requirements
Consider an example 20-yr com-
parison of mineral oil with a synthetic
heat-transfer fluid (Figure 1).
Product and data support
To support the necessary engineer-
ing calculations for initial system de-
sign and for later troubleshooting or
modifications, complete and accu-
rate physical properties for their fluid
are necessary. These property data
should be better than those found
on graphs with wide plot lines, which
can be ambiguous, and should fill
gaps often found on material safety
data sheets. These data should be
detailed measurements and cor-
relations capable of supporting the
desired engineering accuracy. Usu-
ally the best way to access these
data is through a heat-transfer fluid
manufacturer with stringent quality
controls, and one that has capably
measured the properties of rep-
resentative samples. This enables
lower “safety factors” in designs.
SEPTEMBER 2017
Lifecycle cost components
n Increased energy
n Unplanned downtime
n Fluid disposal
n System cleaning
n Pump seals
n Make-up fluid
n Fluid fill(s)
Synthetic Mineral oil
Thermal oxidative stability
High-temperature organic fluids must
be resistant to thermal and oxidative
stress. Oxidation can be prevented by
use of inert-gas blanketing of the sys-
tem. Fluids with oxidation-stabilizing
additives can become depleted and
laden with solids, leaving the system
vulnerable to sludge formation and
fouling. Top-up with more additives
exacerbates the fouling potential,
which has a negative impact on the
cost of ownership. Thermal stability is
a characteristic of bond strength and
fluid composition with minimal impu-
rities. Thermal stability can be mea-
sured in the laboratory using ASTM
D-6743 [1] (Standard Test Method
for Thermal Stability of Organic Heat
Transfer Fluids), followed by proper
quantification of the degradation
products formed. Fluid manufacturers
may have decades of experience in
field-verification of fluid life in a variety
of applications and at different oper-
ating temperatures. Those with ISO-
9001-certified processes for quality-
assurance-management systems are
recommended, to ensure that lot-to-
lot product performance and reliability
are consistent. n
References
1. ASTM D-6743, Standard Test Method for Thermal
Stability of Organic Heat Transfer Fluids.
2. Gamble, C. and Schopf, M., “Optimizing heat transfer
fluid performance: How to avoid costly consequences,”
Eastman Chemical Co., white paper, 2014.
Author
Content for this column was provided by Conrad Gamble,
senior engineering associate at Eastman Chemical Co.
(Kingsport, Tenn.; www.eastman.com).
Facts At Your Fingertips
Sponsored by:
24a
 TLC Total Lifecycle Care® is a complete program of products and superior
technical expertise and services designed to keep your heat transfer fluid
system in top operating condition through its entire lifecycle.

• System design review

• Start-up assistance
• Operational training
• Safety awareness training
• Technical services hotline
• In-service sample analysis
• Flush fluid and refill

www.therminol.com
Circle 17 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-17
© 2017 Eastman Chemical Company. Eastman brands referenced herein are trademarks of Eastman or one of its subsidiaries or are being used under license. The ® symbol
denotes registered trademark status in the U.S.; marks may also be registered internationally. Non-Eastman brands referenced herein are trademarks of their respective owners. TF-5383 8/17
New Products
Automated alarm management
reduces manual calculation work
The newest release of the PlantState
Suite (PSS) software, version 8.3, in-
cludes the new Alarm Mechanic fea-
ture, which is designed to improve
console operator performance by
minimizing nuisance alarms through
automated analytics and recommen-
dations. With the addition of Alarm
Mechanic, PSS 8.3 fully automates
complex analyses that determine
alarm delay-time settings, a critical
method for solving nuisance alarm
problems. Alarm Mechanic replaces
manual calculations and guesswork
with automated, deterministic rec-
ommendations to enable consistent
alarm settings. PSS 8.3 also incor-
porates custom alarm analytics, cor-
porate operational excellence pro-
grams and risk-tracking dashboards.
— PAS Global, LLC, Houston
www.pas.com
Easily detect seal and gasket
wear in conveying applications
This company now offers metal-de-
tectable (MD) and X-ray-inspectable
(XRI) seal and gasket options on its
magnetic separation equipment for
gravity-fed and pneumatic-line con-
veying applications. The new seal
and gasket options protect against
elastomeric contamination in the pro-
cessing line. Component parts can
degrade over time due to low conduc-
tivity, and standard elastomeric mate-
rial is often missed by even the most
sensitive detection systems. The new
offerings include the Detectomer line
(photo) of Buna rubber seals and sili-
cone gaskets, which all contain a se-
lect additive that can be spotted by
metal detectors, X-ray systems and
optical scanners, as well as be cap-
tured by magnetic separators. Avail-
able for products with 1- and 3-in.
magnetic circuit configurations, the
seals and gaskets are certified food-
grade compliant, meeting the FDA
Code of federal regulations for food
safety. Users with existing magnetic
separation equipment who wish to
upgrade to the new MD/XRI seals and
gaskets may also purchase a retrofit
kit. — Industrial Magnetics, Inc. (IMI),
Boyne City, Mich.
www.magnetics.com
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
Hazardous-gas detection with Industrial Magnetics
an array of sensor options
The GSM-60 hazardous-gas moni-
toring system (photo) is designed
with an internal sampling pump and
can use both internal sensors and
remote sensor transmitters to con-
tinuously monitor up to four gases.
The instrument is capable of utiliz-
ing an array of sensor technologies:
infrared (IR), electrochemical (EC),
photoionization detector (PID), metal
oxide semiconductor (MOS), and
catalytic (CAT). The GSM-60 can be
configured to monitor a wide range
of chemicals in ambient air, including
volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide,
oxygen, trace hydrocarbons, as well
as many toxic and industrial gases.
Additionally, the GSM-60 is capable
of monitoring reactive gases, such
as arsine, chlorine dioxide, ethylene
oxide, hydrogen fluoride and ozone.
The system is designed for monitor-
ing ambient air in difficult environ-
ments, including the headspaces of
tanks, HVAC ductwork, VOC-scrub-
ber exhausts and wastewater-treat-
ment plants. — Enmet, LLC, Ann
Arbor, Mich.
www.enmet.com
Enmet
Couplers to minimize product
loss and cross-contamination
The new Twist-Lok dry disconnect
coupler (photo) features 316 stain-
less-steel construction and an inte-
gral heavy-duty swivel to aid con-
nection and minimize hose wear. In
addition, this new coupler is designed
with several safety features for the
operator, such as the ability to be fully
interlocked when connected, while it
includes a locking mechanism in the
open position. Product selectivity is
also available via mechanical keying
OPW Engineered Systems
to minimize risk of cross-contamina-
tion. Twist-Lok couplers are offered in
1-, 2-, 3- and 4-in. sizes (with larger
sizes available upon request) and are
available with a range of seal materi-
als. The Twist-Lok is pressure-rated
up to 360 psi, making it appropri-
ate for high-pressure applications. It
is also suitable for vacuum service.
— OPW Engineered Systems, Inc.,
Lebanon, Ohio
www.opw-es.com
SEPTEMBER 2017 25
 GoatThroat Pumps New pumps for handling
flammable chemicals
The SCP Series of pumps (photo) for
Class 1 and 2 flammable liquids is
designed to minimize hazards asso-
ciated with transferring flammable or
combustible chemicals, such as alco-
hols, solvents and volatile hydrocar-
bons. SCP pumps allow for spill-free,
environmentally safe transfer with no
chance for vapors and VOCs to es-
cape the container. This significantly
reduces the chance of an ignition
event. The pump features a ground-
ing wire and a bonding wire, and is
made of conductive plastic, allowing
users of flammable liquids to ground
the pumps, making them safe for use
with Class 1 and 2 flammable materi-
als. All pump components that come
into contact with the fluid are created
with conductive polypropylene, so
there is grounding of the liquid and
the pump. These pumps also meet
the requirements of NFPA 77, which
requires that the path to ground must
prevent the accumulation of static
electricity in conductive equipment.
Elliott Group
— GoatThroat Pumps, Milford, Conn.
www.goatthroat.com
Test turbine trip systems without
disrupting production
This company’s new, patent-pending
pneumatic trip system (photo) with
partial-stroke actuation provides quick
testing of turbine trip systems while
the equipment is still running. There is operation. Installation requires only a
no disruption to production, and the
trip valve will still work if an overspeedmounting, and the mixer is said to be
event occurs while testing is in prog-
ress. The pneumatic trip system veri-
Cole-Parmer fies functionality without tripping the
turbine and operates independently
of the overspeed trip system. It can
be initiated locally and remotely via
a distributed control system (DCS).
Adaptable to any equipment configu-
ration, this system can be retrofitted
onto existing equipment or affixed to
new machines. The system provides
a more cost-effective alternative to trip
and throttle valves. — Elliott Group, Highly reinforced
Jeannette, Pa.
www.elliott-turbo.com
Use these pump heads for
extremely shear-sensitive fluids
The new Masterflex L/S Cytoflow and are capable of providing longterm
Caframo Lab Solutions pump head (photo) was developed protection under industrially corrosive
26 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
specifically for pumping live cells and
shear-sensitive fluids in biopharma-
ceutical and microbiology applica-
tions. The Cytoflow pump head has a
large-diameter rotor, resulting in high
flowrates at low motor speeds. The
pump head is available in two- and
three-roller configurations — two-
roller heads offer higher flowrates,
while three-roller heads deliver less
pulsation. The pump head is compat-
ible with all Masterflex L/S drives that
accept two or more pump heads. In
addition to the high flowrates at low
motor speeds, the Cytoflow pump
head has a convex roller design that
minimizes the impact on live cells and
maintains the consistency of shear-
sensitive fluids. — Cole-Parmer, Ver-
non Hills, Ill.
www.coleparmer.com
A portable mixer for laboratory
and pilot operations
The Crossover 1540 overhead mixer
(photo) features a 0.5-hp motor deliv-
ering 3,000 N∙cm of torque for effec-
tive mixing in large laboratory, pilot-
scale and small production volumes.
The portable Crossover is designed to
mix up to 200-L (50-gal) drum volumes
from 50 to 1,500 rpm, with the option
of clockwise or counterclockwise rota-
tion. New to this product is the resis-
tive touchscreen, allowing operation
without removing gloves, which dis-
plays speed, time and torque during
standard 120-V cord set and four-bolt
maintenance free. Mounting options in-
clude a C-clamp that is compatible with
the side of a drum or a vertical plate, or
a plate mount for a more permanent or
custom installation. Other accessories
that are available include large 4- and
6-in. propellers and shafts, as well as
replaceable touchscreen protector
covers. — Caframo Lab Solutions,
Georgian Bluffs, Ont., Canada
www.caframolabsolutions.com
low-VOC coatings
This company has introduced a new
range of low-VOC coatings that pro-
vide 100%-solids epoxy lining perfor-
mance. The coatings are reinforced
SEPTEMBER 2017
environments ranging from immersion
conditions (temperatures up to 180°F)
to vapor conditions (temperatures up
to 250°F), says the company. The
products can be applied by conven-
tional spray or manual methods. The
product line includes: SF/LF, a 100%
solids high-build coating system used
primarily in marine and wastewater
sites; STP ep-hv, a surface-tolerant,
high-viscosity, high-build coatings
system; CN 1M V15H3, a nanoparti-
cle-reinforced epoxy phenolic resin for
aggressive chemical exposures; Syn-
thofloor 8016, a low-viscosity, epoxy
primer and sealer formulated to be
used as a primer or augmented with
clean dry silica sand and used as a
sparge coat; and Synthofloor 8463, a
low-viscosity, self-leveling epoxy floor
coating for mild to moderate chemical
resistance that also can be bulked up
with clean dry silica sand to be used
as a high-build, wear-resistant coat-
ing. — Ceramic Polymer GmbH, a
Chesterton International Subsidiary,
Roedinghausen, Germany
www.ceramic-polymer.de
® 2017 Acrison , Inc.
Circle 04 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-04
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
These horizontal vortex pumps
provide unrestricted flow
Vertiflo
The Series 1600 horizontal vortex
sump pump (photo) features a fully
recessed vortex impeller design
that provides an unrestricted flow,
since the impeller is not normally
in contact with the solids being
pumped. Industrial process ap-
plications include slurries, fragile
food processing, pulpy solids, oils,
pollution control and wastewater
treatment. The pumps can handle
solids up to 4-in. in diameter. The
Series 1600 is designed for severe
Superior Quality,
Rugged-Duty Equipment ....
• Reliable and Long-Lasting
• Minimal Maintenance
• Standard and Custom
Systems Available
SEPTEMBER 2017
services with heads to 170 ft, tem-
peratures to 250°F with flows to
1,600 gal/min. Construction options
include cast iron, 316 stainless-steel
fitted, all 316 stainless-steel, Alloy 20
and CD4MC. Two models are avail-
able: Model 1620 has a 0.875-in.
shaft diameter with a 1.25-in. sleeve,
while Model 1626 has a 1.25-in.
shaft diameter with a 1.625-in. diam-
eter sleeve. All impellers have wiping
vanes that reduce axial loading and
prevent dirt from entering the seal-
ing area. The impeller is keyed to the
shaft, and an impeller locking screw
assures positive attachment. The
vortex-type concentric design cas-
ing has extra heavy wall thickness
for corrosion allowance. — Vertiflo
Pump Co., Cincinnati, Ohio
www.vertiflopump.com
This piston pump has an
interchangeable drive assembly
The new TopDrive piston pump sys-
tem (photo, p. 28) for cleanup appli-
cations features a fully-interchange-
able drive assembly that allows for
During Injection
Dispersion- Injector
Industrial and municipal
chemical feed equipment.
Acrison, Inc. ®
20 Empire Blvd., Moonachie, NJ 07074
201-440-8300 • Fax: 201-440-4939
informail@acrison.com
www.acrison.com
See us at WEFTEC / Booth 4025
27
 QED Environmental Systems easy transitions between hand, solar,
electric and top-drive pneumatic
pumping without removing the well
seal. This feature provides additional
flexibility in pumping applications and
the ability to pump most fluids under
a wide range of operating condi-
tions. Other design elements of the
TopDrive piston pump include an in-
terchangeable lower pump, which al-
lows an upgrade to a higher flowrate,
and an adjustable drop assembly
with 5- or 10-ft lengths, optimizing
pump inlet depth. The pneumatic-
drive assembly features a linear
bearing in addition to the internal
pneumatic-drive cylinder bearing,
which is designed to increase the
durability and life span of the pump.
— QED Environmental Systems, Inc.,
Dexter, Mich.
www.qedenv.com
Safety sensors designed for
increased vibration resistance
This company’s Eden sensors (photo)
ABB Jokab Safety Products now feature a solid-state, board-level
design with radio-frequency iden-
tification (RFID) technology for in-
creased resistance to vibration and
greater security. RFID technology al-
lows for large sensing distances and
its vibration resistance decreases
the risk of involuntary stops that are
common in older technologies. The
entire Eden line is IP69K rated, mak-
ing these safety sensors suitable for
applications that require resistance
to dust and liquid ingress, such as
washdown operations in food-and-
beverage processing plants. Eden
Dynamic safety sensors use dy-
namic-pulse, single-channel safety
Clark Solutions architecture and comply with Cat-
egory 4/Performance Level e (Cat.
4/PLe) per EN/ISO 13849, indicat-
ing that failure of an individual device
will not result in the loss of safety
function. According to the manu-
facturer, the Eden product line also
introduced the capability of uniquely
coding safety sensors to comply with
the demands of EN/ISO 14119 for
hazardous applications. Eden safety
sensors also have flexible, 360-deg
mounting and a temperature range of
–40 to 158°F. — ABB Jokab Safety
Products, Westland, Mich.
www.abb.us/jokabsafety
28 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
These gas-detection
systems are SIL-2 certified
The CGS-FlexVu UD10 combusti-
ble-gas detection system combines
a catalytic-bead gas sensor with a
multifunction universal display for
detection of a wide range of hy-
drocarbon gases, as well as hy-
drogen, in harsh industrial environ-
ments. The explosion-proof system
is third-party rated for safety integ-
rity level (SIL) 2, and is suitable for
high-temperature (up to 75°C) and
hydrogen-processing applications,
as well as in relative humidities up
to 95%. The universal display also
provides output and control capa-
bilities, and can be used to calibrate
and view information. The device
features nonintrusive calibration
using a handheld magnetic tool or
a HART communicator and can be
easily calibrated by one person. The
display unit provides a linear iso-
lated/non-isolated 4–20-mA output
signal (with HART). — Det-Tronics,
Minneapolis, Minn.
www.det-tronics.com
These gear pumps have
built-in pressure control
Series UP6 electric gear pumps
(photo) feature the option for built-
in pressure control, whereby a fac-
tory-programmed pressure setting
is maintained via a microprocessor-
based variable pump-speed control
circuit that utilizes an internal pres-
sure sensor for loop feedback. UP6
pumps are self-priming and come
equipped with 12- or 24-V d.c. mo-
tors. The pumps can handle flow-
rates as high as 6.9 gal/min, and
pressures up to 29 psi, making them
appropriate for small water- and
chemical-processing systems. The
pumps feature helical bronze gears,
a nickel-plated brass body and
stainless-steel shaft. The operating
temperature range for UP6 pumps
is 14 to 140°F. Suitable pumping
media include water or diesel fuel
with viscosity between 2 and 5.35
cSt. A 250–400 μm filter is recom-
mended for applications where the
fluid media contains particles. —
Clark Solutions, Hudson, Mass.
www.clarksol.com ■
Mary Page Bailey
SEPTEMBER 2017
Circle 38 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-38
 Cover Story

Drones Take to the

CPI Skies
Drones are quickly entering the chemical processing space as more companies begin to
embrace their use for inspection and monitoring tasks
AETOS Group
IN BRIEF

T
here is no doubt that
AVIATION AND THE CPI drones, or unmanned
COLLIDE aerial vehicles (UAVs),
hold many promising
MAKING THE MOST OF
opportunities for the chemi-
DRONES’ DATA
cal process industries (CPI),
DRONE IMAGERY although, as with any new
BECOMES REALITY technology, some challenges
SMARTER may arise. “We’re just start-
DECOMMISSIONING ing to see some of the larger
chemical manufacturers
ENVIRONMENTAL
begin to use drone technol-
REMEDIATION
ogy,” says Bill Erny, senior FIGURE 1. Some companies may custom-engineer a drone to carry out specific
director of security, regulatory tasks, such as specialized non-destructive testing or gas detection
and technical affairs at the
American Chemistry Council (ACC; Wash- “One of the key considerations here is to es-
ington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com). tablish a mechanism where operators can
Equipment inspection, says Erny, is currently report concerns about unauthorized drone
the most promising application for drones in use, and establish a formal mechanism for
the CPI. “Some equipment is challenging to notifying the general public where recreational
access, such as flare stacks, large processing use of drones is not permitted,” explains Erny.
vessels and things of that nature,” he explains. He emphasizes that the ACC supports future
Some drones can actually fly inside equip- legislation regulating the use of unauthorized
ment structures and execute visual inspec- drones and for the FAA to fulfill its mandate to
tions, or even non-destructive testing (NDT), create new rules prohibiting the unauthorized
eliminating the need for confined-space entry. use of drones near critical infrastructure.
Although equipment inspection is currently the
most commonly seen application for drones in Aviation and the CPI collide
CPI plants, several other tasks have emerged The proliferation of drones into more and more
where their use might be beneficial, including applications has necessitated collaboration
emergency response, security management, between the aviation and industrial sectors.
site surveys and environmental remediation. Drone service provider AETOS Group (LaPorte,
While drones certainly hold potential to pro- Tex.; www.aetosgroup.com) was formed by a
vide security services, there are also some group of commercial pilots in 2010, and began
concerns associated with the unauthorized collaborating with a major global CPI com-
use of drones near chemical processing fa- pany in 2011 to evaluate drone applications in
cilities. Commercial drone usage in the U.S. is chemical plants, focusing on safety and regula-
regulated by the Federal Aviation Administra- tory issues. In late 2015, AETOS was bought
tion (FAA), but it has fallen to individual states by Mistras Group Inc. (Princeton Junction,
to provide guidance on recreational or other- N.J.; www.mistrasgroup.com). “Once we pro-
wise unauthorized drone usage near critical gressed the data that the drones could deliver,
infrastructure, including chemical plants. Do- we recognized the need to take it a step further
mestically, drone complaints have mainly been and actually start building finished products,”
nuisance-related, but the potential is certainly explains Nick Harwood, operations manager
there for more insidious actions to take place. at AETOS. AETOS works with operating com-
30 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
Interactive Aerial

complete coverage, with no scaf- have to understand the processes

folding,” he explains. Here, the major and ask the right questions,” he con-
takeaway is that with drones, certain tinues. However, he says that these
types of specialized NDT can be done limitations have not hindered AETOS’
more frequently, increasing reliability. work. For instance, the cameras af-
“There’s a lot of front-end work fixed to flare-monitoring drones have
before taking a drone into a facility,” sufficient zoom capabilities — they
says Harwood, mentioning client con- can reportedly decipher increments
cerns associated with aircraft opera- as small as 1/32 in. from 60 ft away —
tional safety, security and equipment to operate at a safe distance and still
inherent safety. “None of the drones collect useful data. He says that while
FIGURE 2. Special design and operating consider- today are intrinsically safe, so you there are applications to justify a busi-
ations must be taken for drones meant to be flown
inside of large vessels
panies to develop bespoke drones
and robotics (Figure 1). “We’ve done
several custom-builds now that are
unique to specific applications,” adds
Harwood. “We are allowing clients to
get to places they could never get to
before without major expenses,” he
continues.
The inspection of flare stacks Where can you find all your CPI solutions in one spot?
is among AETOS’ most popular
drone services. “Shutting down flare
stacks is extremely expensive, and The Chemical Processing Industry covers a broad range of products such
with a drone you can do the inspec- as petrochemical and inorganic chemicals, plastics, detergents, paints, pulp
tion online, which is a huge benefit,”
says Harwood. Beyond equipment & paper, food & beverage, rubber and many more. Chemical Engineering
inspection, the company has devel- magazine is uniquely suited to cover this worldwide market.
oped drones equipped with infrared
(IR) camera technology to detect
leaks and fugitive emissions.
Improved drone capabilities have
also enabled internal inspection of
structures, such as tanks and ves-
sels. Flying drones inside large stor-
age tanks saves time and costs, as no
scaffolding needs to be constructed
and no personnel have to enter the
tank. “In smaller pressure vessels,
personnel don’t have to make entry,”
says Harwood. He reiterates that
while drone-based internal inspec-
tion technologies are still relatively
new, they present benefits in numer-
ous areas, including turnarounds and Written for engineers by engineers, Chemical Engineering delivers solid
quality-control of new piping circuits.
engineering essentials and developing industry trends to keep its readers
In one recent project, AETOS
custom-built a “crawler” robot to go abreast of everything they need to keep their facilities running smoothly.
into a large vessel and complete a
visual inspection, as well as two dif-
ferent kinds of NDT. Typically, says Missing archived issues or what to share
Harwood, these types of NDT did not
occur very frequently and would re- Chemical Engineering with your colleagues?
quire extensive amounts of scaffold-
ing, while incurring nearly $500,000 Visit www.chemengonline.com/chemical-engineering-magazine
in costs. “We were able to outfit the for more information.
tools on the drone and do these in- 27584

spections in a day or two, and get

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 31

 Interactive Aerial
FIGURE 3. Drones can quickly
provide high-resolution im-
ages for internal inspection of
tanks, vessels, boilers
and more
32
ness case for intrinsically
safe drones, the devel-
opment work for these
devices is still very early.
Furthermore, many large
chemical companies
have their own internal
aviation departments to
rigorously vet any drone
technologies being used
inside plants. “We make
sure to use equipment
that have encrypted
links that are unique to
the aircraft so that they
don’t interfere with plant
sensors, and we have also tested them thor-
oughly,” he explains.
One company working with AETOS to de-
velop high-performance inspection drones is
Interactive Aerial, Inc. (IA; Traverse City, Mich.;
www.interactiveaerial.com). The company,
said to be one of the few U.S.-based drone
manufacturers, focuses on drones used for in-
ternal inspections of tanks, boilers, cargo ship
hulls and other large equipment (Figure 2).
The drones can quickly supply a large amount
of internal inspection data via high-resolution
photos and video (Figure 3). What sets IA’s
technology apart is a proprietary laser-based
navigation and collision-avoidance system,
says Christian Smith, president of Interactive
Aerial. Typically, “off-the-shelf” drones use
global-positioning systems (GPS) and internal
compasses for navigation, but these function-
alities run into difficulties when the drones are
inside large steel or concrete structures. “We
have a laser that spins around 360 degrees on
the drone for navigation, allowing the drone to
learn its environment inside the tank or boiler.
When it knows its environment, it offers the
collision-avoidance aspect,” explains Smith.
While other drones do include collision-avoid-
ance capabilities, those systems may rely on
cameras that typically do not properly function
in a dark, featureless environment, such as
the inside of a tank. The laser-based system
works regardless of the lighting conditions of
its environment, says Smith, and also takes
into account the tanks’ walls, floor and ceiling
to create a virtual “bubble” around the drone
for collision avoidance. This also eliminates
physical interference between the drone and
the inspected surface, whereas other drones
may require a “cage” around the equipment
to protect against collisions, which can hin-
der data collection. “This allows the operators
to focus on gathering inspection data, rather
than not running into things,” he adds.
Beyond inspection, IA is seeing interest in
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
using drones for emergency response pur-
poses, for instance in evaluating the spill of
a dangerous chemical, but these applica-
tions are still very new. According to Smith,
the company is working with a local Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
chapter to look at potential drone applica-
tions for emergency scenarios. “If there
were a chemical spill, they’d want to send
in a drone first before sending in a rescue
team,” Smith explains. “It’ll be a big part of
the drone world moving forward.”
Smith believes that to better harness
drones’ potential in chemical-handling ap-
plications, autonomous, intrinsically safe
equipment is the next natural progression.
Although manufacturing drones to the safety
standards dictated by certain industrial clas-
sifications would be quite demanding, there
is confidence that companies will begin to
investigate such offerings in the near future.
“If we had a fully intrinsically safe drone, we
could go into tanks without requiring com-
mercial cleaning or degassing,” Smith pre-
dicts. Currently, prior to inspection, tanks
must undergo rigorous preparation per
American Petroleum Institute (API) 653 stan-
dards. The next hurdle would be to use
drones for in-service inspections, but devel-
oping capable equipment presents consider-
able challenges to drone manufacturers. “We
would have to re-write the way drones work,
essentially, to make that happen, and we are
currently researching what that would take,”
he says. IA has recently acquired a large de-
commissioned fluid-storage tank to use for
in-situ test flights of its drones for demonstra-
tion and research purposes.
With regard to autonomy, line-of-sight regu-
lations present particular hurdles for pilotless
drones. Earlier this year, Airobotics (Tel Aviv, Is-
rael; www.airobotics.co.il) became the world’s
first company to receive federal authorization
(from the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel) for
Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) opera-
tion of an autonomous drone. In an industry
first, the company has deployed its autono-
mous drones for data-capture at the Worsley
Alumina operations of Australian mining com-
pany South32 (Perth; www.south32.net).
In a cross-industry collaborative effort,
AkzoNobel N.V. (Amsterdam, the Netherlands;
www.akzonobel.com) is currently working
to implement its InterPlan inspection system
for coatings maintenance into drone surveys,
which will decrease the time and cost required
for such inspections, especially in difficult-to-
reach areas, such as in marine installations
(Figure 4). “With the even greater restrictions
and issues around access involved in work-
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Circle 32 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-32

 AkzoNobel
FIGURE 4. Pilot tests are
currently underway to com-
mercialze drones for the in-
spection of coatings in marine
environments
34
ing offshore, we’ll see greater efficiencies and
benefits during the inspection process,” says
Chris Langley, InterPlan product manager.
In tandem with research and development
group Drone Ops, coatings specialist Safi-
nah Ltd. and tanker operator Barrier Group,
AkzoNobel is working to develop drones de-
signed specifically for coatings and corrosion
inspection in enclosed areas, including bal-
last water tanks and offshore wind farms. The
project is progressing well, and a prototype
bespoke drone is currently undergoing trial
flights, according to Michael Hindmarsh, busi-
ness development manager for AkzoNobel
Marine Coatings. The team plans to deliver
a working prototype later this year, although
there are many challenges to address. “The
project has to overcome many obstacles as-
sociated with the inspection of surfaces in
confined spaces, including navigation through
very small access holes and piloting outside of
the line of sight, to name just two,” says Hind-
marsh. In Australia, AkzoNobel is currently
testing drones for inspection tasks at remote
production sites where access is limited.
Making the most of drones’ data
Contextualizing, interpreting and organizing
the massive amounts of data collected by
drones is essential. At the forefront of inte-
grating drone inspections with advanced
analysis is Sky Futures (Hayes, U.K.; www.
sky-futures.com). The company has recently
signed expansive contracts with global
manufacturing companies Eni S.p.A. (Rome,
Italy; www.eni.com) and Petronas (Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia; www.petronas.com). Sky
Futures not only provides drone-flying ser-
vices, but also trains and encourages clients
to learn how to use their own drones for ev-
eryday tasks. “The real benefits come when
there is a drone on site at all times,” says
Colin Hickey, head of product at Sky Fu-
tures. “We’ve all got a laptop. Why shouldn’t
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
everybody have a drone?”
He emphasizes drones’ potential to drasti-
cally shift asset-reliability practices by allow-
ing more frequent plant assessments rather
than depending on typical inspection cycles.
“That’s really the crux of what drones change.
If you have a drone, you can do ten-minute
flights to collect data rapidly and safely. It
completely revolutionizes the way we gather
information at a plant,” he continues.
For instance, engineers can monitor flares
with a thermal-camera drone and compare
the data with the control-system feed and
evaluate how the flare temperature is chang-
ing with the process flow. The imagery col-
lected by Sky Futures’ drones can be com-
bined with other imagery sources, such as
cameras on operator helmets or scope cam-
eras that look inside pipes, for example, to
formulate a more complete representation
of the plant. “By putting all your data into a
central repository, you’re basically building a
virtual version of the plant on your desktop
that anyone can access,” explains Hickey.
In the past year, Sky Futures released addi-
tional imagery-analysis tools with algorithms
that quickly pinpoint the most pertinent data
from drone surveys, such as hot spots on
pipe racks that can indicate potential leaks or
corrosion under insulation. “We can process
thousands of images in a few minutes and
then tell operators where the faults are,” he
adds. Also, the algorithms can detect small
anomalies that the human eye may miss,
such as cracks in welds or small patches of
corrosion. However, he reiterates that opera-
tors’ expertise and input are still required to
ensure the programs’ reliability.
Hickey presumes that the next steps in
the technology trajectory for drone-enabled
analyses will involve more agile, autonomous
drones that take into account weather and
other site conditions to develop an optimal
inspection schedule. Data would be auto-
matically mapped and positioned onto serv-
ers and put through algorithms to allow for
trending and predictive analysis. “As soon as
you can spot a problem in an image, you can
begin to trend that over time. That’s the next
thing we are working on,” he says.
Designing a reliable drone can be some-
what analogous to process design. “Suc-
cessful drone operators are the ones who
think like process engineers,” says Hickey
on the importance of layers of protection in
equipment design, even for drones. Multiple
redundancies in GPS systems and duplicate
propellers instill confidence in drones’ reli-
ability. However, while some organizations,
including Oil & Gas UK (London; www.oiland-
WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
gasus.co.uk), have drafted guidelines
specific to the oil-and-gas sector, no
comprehensive industry standards
governing drones in chemical pro-
cessing facilities are currently avail-
able. Similarly, testing and certification
group SGS S.A. (Geneva, Switzer-
land; www.sgs.com) has written gen-
eral audit standards for drone pilots,
and the American Bureau of Shipping
(ABS) has created certifications for
drones in the maritime sector.
Drone imagery becomes reality
Bentley Systems, Inc. (Exton, Pa.;
www.bentley.com) is using the data-
capturing capabilities of drones to
survey plants with the goal of creating
“digital twins” that enable robust mod-
eling and analytics. Bentley software
processes a set of drone-captured 2-D
photographs and compiles them into
a 3-D reality mesh for a holistic view of
an entire plant’s assets (Figure 5). “The
technology converts digital photo-
graphs into 3-D models very quickly,”
says Anne-Marie Walters, Bentley’s
industry marketing director for oil and
gas. As the circumstances for utiliz-
ing drone technology have expanded
and their capabilities have advanced,
users’ confidence in drone safety and
reliability has grown as well, accord-
ing to Walters. Bentley has partnered
with surveying specialist Topcon Posi-
tioning Group (Livermore, Calif.; www.
topconpositioning.com) to facilitate
automated cloud services that inter-
face with drone-captured imagery.
“The work with Topcon focuses on
capturing the as-is condition of as-
sets, in as close to realtime as pos-
sible, so users can quickly make deci-
sions,” explains Walters.
Interest in these types of aerial
surveys for chemical plants began
to surface in the past 2–3 years, ac-
cording to Jerard Marsh, application
engineer for Bentley Reality Model-
ing Product Development. “What the
drone gives you is a full 360-degree
overview of your plant that you won’t
get with laser scanning. You can see
the tops of pipe racks, you can see
around pressure vessels, so it offers
much more context,” says Marsh.
Even a very high-level overview of a
plant based on drone-generated im-
agery can be useful in safety reviews
and brownfield site modifications.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
According to Marsh, several thou-
sand photos can be captured via
drones in a matter of 2–3 hours.
A wide range of CPI companies,
with different end-goals in mind, STATE-OF-THE-ART
have utilized drone capture and re-
ality modeling. Walter cites several MIXING TECHNOLOGY
examples, including biopharmaceu-
ticals company UCB S.A. (Brussels,
Belgium, www.ucb.com), which used Technologically optimized
drones to quickly appraise the options
for decreasing the carbon footprint of for your application
a manufacturing site that was built in
1928. “They basically captured a real- Cost effective
ity model of the entire manufacturing mixing technology
site using a drone to quickly identify
and communicate the practical ideas
they had for making modifications to
Available in 4 weeks
achieve their carbon-reduction goals,”
Walters explains. Using drones, UCB
even identified some space at the site
where solar panels could be installed.
In another example, a Kansas-
based ethanol producer in the midst
of a facility expansion faced difficulty
in gaining regulatory approval to move
forward with the project due to inad-
equate drainage plans. A surveying
company used a drone and Bent-
ley software to develop the drainage
plans in less than a week. “A tradi-
tional survey would have taken three
times as long,” Walters suggests.
In another case, drones were used
in a situation where two adjacent steel-
manufacturing plants were merged
into a single facility and no overarching
site survey had ever taken place. “They
needed to modernize their fume-ex-
traction system for the entire complex,
but no one had ever done one overall
survey of the complex,” says Walters.
Imagery from both photographs and
laser scans were combined to gen-
erate a reality model and quickly de-
sign the extraction system. The reality
model was also used to reevaluate the
structural integrity of some older parts
Your fast lane to
of the factory. Additional drone users
seen by Bentley include a Korean ther- advanced mixing technology:
mal-power operator, and a risk-based
inspection provider in South Africa. Phone: +1 201 825 4684
Despite the ease of conducting sur- Ext.: 222
veys, processing companies still har-
bor some concerns about introducing usa@ekato.com
drones into their facilities. However,
the rapid proliferation of drones for
industrial use has led to enhanced on- www.ekato.com
board safety systems. “These drones
are getting so advanced now, with so
Circle 18 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-18
SEPTEMBER 2017 35
 Bentley Systems
FIGURE 5. The comprehensive aerial
imagery provided by a drone survey can
be used to formulate a 3-D reality model
of a plant
FIGURE 6. Drones outfitted with emis-
sions-monitoring sensors can provide
continuous reporting for mapping
purposes
Aeromon
36
many safety sensors put in place, that if
anything goes wrong, the drone lands
itself automatically,” states Marsh. Al-
though, as mentioned previously, no in-
dustry standards are currently available
governing the use of drones in chemical
plants, many companies have developed
their own conservative safety and op-
erational guidelines, in collaboration with
inspection and surveying groups. “Indi-
vidual companies are beginning to work
out what the regulations should be locally.
They go through their own rigorous safety
protocol before they start to operate
drones on site,” explains Walters. “At the
end of the day, it’s just another piece of
equipment you’re using with your assets.”
Smarter decommissioning
The many complexities of plant decom-
missioning and demolition require exten-
sive planning and inspection. Dilapidated
structures at long-abandoned facilities
can present significant challenges and
potentially put personnel at great risk.
For the past few years, decommission-
ing specialist RVA Group (Borehamwood,
U.K.; www.rvagroup.org) has been utiliz-
ing drones as part of their decommission-
ing services. Most recently, the company
was appointed by SABIC (Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia; www.sabic.com) to
provide extensive decommissioning
for several U.K. assets, and drones
were deployed in order to inspect
structures as part of the initial de-
commissioning strategy. “In the de-
commissioning arena, we are dealing
with very old assets that sometimes
have not been maintained for a num-
ber of years. So before we can send
anybody in, we need to be sure of
the safety and security of the asset
itself,” explains Matthew Waller, EHS
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
& Engineering manager with RVA Group.
The remote viewing capabilities of
drones provide quick and relatively in-
expensive inspection of large, compli-
cated plant structures, explains Richard
Vann, managing director of RVA Group.
Alongside other advanced technologies,
such as ground-penetrating radar and
laser scanning, drones provide inspec-
tion details that are infeasible or difficult
to obtain with previous inspection tech-
niques. “With drones, we literally get a
bird’s-eye view. We can fly into places
where we wouldn’t be able to send per-
sonnel without putting an enormous
amount of manpower on the ground for
initial inspections. It’s given us a window
of opportunity to speed up the investiga-
tory process,” says Waller. These initial
inspections are especially crucial for sites
where accurate records of the construc-
tion details are not immediately available,
or where records may not be up to date.
Inspections are particularly challenging
in long-dormant plants. “We are looking
at assets on a project in the U.S. that
have laid idle for 50–60 years, and they
are overgrown with trees and moss. You
wouldn’t think of letting anyone use the
access routes or the staircases,” says
Vann. Flying camera-equipped drones
over the site revealed numerous hazard-
ous situations, including holes in build-
ing roofs, collapsed staircases and even
elements of structures that had become
detached. According to Vann, the use of
drones was essential in this project to un-
derstand how to best access the plant
and to determine safe areas for personnel
to work. “I’d rather lose a dozen drones
than one person cut their finger,” he says.
Of course, there are certain precau-
tions that must be taken before flying
drones into potentially hazardous areas,
including plants where some portions are
still operational. The first key hurdle, par-
ticularly when dealing with hydrocarbons,
is safety, according to Waller. “Equipment
that is to be taken into various areas of
the plant must be rated appropriately for
zoned areas with potentially explosive at-
mospheres.” In some cases, the group’s
drones could only be used at a predefined
distance from a certain asset. Also, limi-
tations may be placed on whether the
drone can fly inside of a structure, as the
drones’ transmission components may
present a potential source of ignition. “To
our knowledge, there are no ATEX-rated
drones currently, but surely the market
SEPTEMBER 2017
RanMarine

FIGURE 7. The removal of solid waste in closed waterways is aided by the use
of swimming robots

will quickly recognize this gap,” says Waller.

Another concern is interference between the drone and
the operating assets’ instrumentation. Waller cites a proj-
ect where drones were to be used nearby live operating
assets, including plant-critical instrumentation. The team
carried out a review of the potential for interference with
drone signaling, since losing control of a drone could lead
to collision with plant-critical structures with possibly cat-
astrophic results. As a result of the review, the team im-
plemented no-fly zones in certain plant areas to eliminate
interference risks.
Another application for drones that RVA Group has
found is for filming explosive demolitions. “From an en-
gineering point of view, it’s a good way to study collapse

Energy-ef cient
mechanisms, how a building or structure falls. From that,
you can learn for future similar events,” adds Vann.

Environmental remediation thermal separation

Drones are also proving to be practical in the environmental
and regulatory sectors. For instance, SeekOps, Inc. (Pasa- GEA -the leader in energy
dena, Calif.; www.seekops.com) develops methane-gas optimization
sensors for drones. Earlier this year, SeekOps licensed a
miniature gas sensor originally developed at NASA’s Jet
Propulsion Laboratory (www.jpl.nasa.gov). According to GEA’s distillation and evaporation plants
the company, the sensor is specifically suited for aerial are recognized worldwide for their high
configuration due to its miniaturized nature, and can de- thermodynamic efficiencies and high
tect methane in the parts-per-billion (ppb) range to precisely distillate purities achieved. Due to our
highlight small leaks before they begin to pose problems for product know how and expertise in
operators. SeekOps is currently working toward a commer- designing multi-stage, TVR and MVR
cial release for drones equipped with these new sensors. heated plant concepts, GEA offers a range
Aeromon Oy (Helsinki, Finland; www.aeromon.fi) is of innovative and individually designed
looking to bring drones into the emissions-monitoring thermally optimized solutions. With in-
arena through the creation of a sensor module designed house R&D facilities and more than 4500
specifically for aerial use. Weighing just 850 g, the com- references worldwide, who would expect
pany’s BH-8 unit quantifies and maps emissions in re- anything less?
altime using up to eight different gas sensors simulta- For contact details: gea.com/contact
neously, with capabilities to measure up to 70 different
gases, including combustible or explosive gases, refrig-
erants and VOCs, as well as particulate matter. Visualiza-
tion of monitoring data is provided directly onto a map
or aerial image in realtime (Figure 6). In addition to moni-
toring gaseous and particulate emissions, Aeromon has
also enabled noise-monitoring capabilities into its de-
vices. The company has had several successful pilot proj-
Circle 24 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-24

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 37


ects at industrial sites,
including detect-
ing leaks, mapping
potential areas for
toxic-gas release and
reducing the risks as-
sociated with storing
biomass by monitor-
ing the presence of
combustible gases.
The BH-8 aerial sen-
sor platform is slated
for commercial re- FIGURE 8. Automated water treatment is a
lease in late 2017, ac- new frontier for drones
cording to Aeromon.
The potential applications for drones extend beyond
the skies into the water. Swimming — rather than fly-
ing — drones can be deployed for cleanup tasks in wa-
terways where it might be difficult or hazardous to send
personnel. RanMarine Technology B.V. (Rotterdam, the
Netherlands; www.ranmarine.io) develops autonomous
drones for removing solid waste or chemical contami-
nants from bodies of water. RanMarine’s waste-cleanup
drone model, known as the WasteShark (Figure 7), can
collect floating debris, such as plastic waste and other
solid trash. Similarly, the company’s PlantShark model
targets alien, or pest, vegetation, whose presence can
place stresses on water supply and threaten biodiversity.
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Circle 12 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-12
38
RanMarine
The company’s newest endeavor, the ChemShark, is
equipped with proprietary internal filtration technology
to remove contaminants in ports, canals, lakes or other
similar bodies of water (Figure 8). According to Oliver
Cunningham, RanMarine’s chief commercial officer, the
ChemShark is currently in the testing phase for advanced
filtration technologies to efficiently remove a number of
contaminants. RanMarine is working with a municipality
in Sweden to deploy a ChemShark drone into a local port
that has several chemical contaminants in its water, in-
cluding cadmium, arsenic, copper, zinc, lead, polychlori-
nated biphenyl and dioxins. The company is also partner-
ing with a potential customer in South Africa to institute a
drone-based cleanup program for waste removal from a
major commercial port. The company has also been in-
vestigating oil-spill-remediation capabilities for the Chem-
Shark. According to Cunningham, RanMarine expects to
have the first ChemShark in the water by early 2018.
Marine drones are a natural fit for cleaning up tight
spaces in waterways where waste or contaminants may
accumulate. “The value of our drones over other waste-
collecting vessels is that they are smaller, more agile,
lighter and cost significantly less,” explains Cunningham.
Furthermore, RanMarine is using solar-powered batteries
in their drones, so the carbon footprint is extremely low.
There is also no need for personnel to enter hazardous
contaminated water, eliminating some serious safety con-
cerns. And since the drones are fully autonomous and
can run continuously, cleanup tasks can be completed
more quickly. Furthermore, says Cunningham, the drones
can work in intelligent teams, sharing information and ef-
fectively self-organizing to most effectively tackle the task.
One of the main concerns the company emphasized in
unintended consequences for the ecosystem in a body
of water. “To extract one chemical out of the water, you
may have to introduce another chemical. The introduc-
tion of this new chemical might be problematic, so we
are absolutely determined to think through these side ef-
fects first,” says Cunningham. “We’re also very mindful of
wildlife and biodiversity. We’ve had zero animal or human
injury to date,” he continues. Another important consid-
eration in the development of the ChemShark was the
material of construction for the drone’s hull, which has to
withstand continuous exposure to harsh chemicals and
potentially extreme conditions. The company decided on
a silicon-resin polymer material that provides strength
and resilience in corrosive marine environments.
On the horizon
® The CPI’s fast adoption of drone technologies for inspec-
tion purposes will likely soon expand to several other ap-
plications. The creation of consistent regulatory guidelines,
along with drone manufacturers’ efforts to tailor product
offerings for industrial tasks, may enable drones to some-
day become as ubiquitous as engineers’ laptops. Further-
more, research and development projects will help to craft
drones for expanded applications, as more autonomous
and even intrinsically safe options begin to take flight. ■
Mary Page Bailey
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
Feature Report

Odor Issues and

Solutions for
Wastewater Treatment
Increasingly, wastewater treatment plants must address odors due to volatile contaminants.
This guide provides an overview of odor causes and possible remedial actions
Laura Haupert

P
rocesses and applications
OMI Industries
that emit odor-causing air
contaminants are common
across many sectors of the
chemical process industries (CPI).
IN BRIEF
In many cases, including wastewa- ODORS AND HEALTH
ter treatment plants (WWTPs), paper HAZARDS
mills, asphalt refineries and other op- WASTEWATER
erations, large volumes of odor-caus- TREATMENT PLANT
ing compounds are generated, and ODORS
residents of the areas surrounding the ODOR REMEDIATION
facility can be exposed. METHODS
In the past, these odors were less of FIGURE 1. Wastewater treatment plants can be sources of odor-caus-
an issue because most industrial facili- ing gases, such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, mercaptans and others VAPOR-PHASE
ties tended to be located at consider- APPROACHES
able distances from large residential areas. In This article provides information about
more recent times, however, there has been common odor-causing compounds and
an increase in the number of industrial op- about possible methods for controlling those
erations that are located within or near small odors, with a particular focus on WWTPs.
towns and even large cities. When local resi-
dents constantly smell these industrial pro- Odors and health hazards
cesses, unhappy neighborhoods are gener- In general, odors are subjective, so that a
ally the result. particular type of odor may bother one per-
The collective voice of the public is now son while having little or no impact on an-
often strong, and has resulted in new regu- other. The odor threshold is the minimum
lations regarding odors and odor control concentration of an odorous compound that
at industrial facilities. Many industries can is necessary to be detected by 50% of the
no longer produce odors without facing population [1].
the consequences of either constant com- In principle, all chemicals can theoreti-
plaints, or fines from federal, state and local cally be toxic at high enough concentra-
authorities. In addition to being a nuisance, tions. For instance, water is not normally
these foul odors can pose a health and considered toxic. However, drinking an ex-
safety concern for the community, especially cessive amount of water under certain cir-
at high concentrations. cumstances can create a condition called
Furthermore, increases in population and hyponatremia [2]. A similar situation applies
associated industrial growth have driven an to the concentration of odorous gases. At
increase in the amount of waste requiring low concentrations (parts per billion; ppb),
processing, and a subsequent increase in some gases can be detected by most hu-
the odor problem. mans. However, those gases are not toxic

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 39

 TABLE 1. COMMON ODOR-CAUSING COMPOUNDS AT CPI FACILITIES
Substance Odor threshold Characteristic odor TWAc (ppm) IDLHd (ppm)
(ppm)
Ammoniaa 46.8 Pungent 25 300
Benzeneb 37 Solvent 1 500
Ethyl mercaptana 0.001 Earthy, sulfide 0.5 500
Hydrogen sulfidea 0.00047 Rotten egg 10 100
Methyl mercaptana 0.0021 Sulfide, pungent 0.5 150
Styreneb 1.9 Aromatic 50 700
Toluenee 2.9 Sour, solvent 10 500
Trichloroethyleneb 21 Solvent 25 1,000
a. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00022470.1969.10466465
b. https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/risk/recordisplay.cfm?deid=40610&CFID=79236647&CFTOKEN=90216829
c. https://www.osha.gov/dsg/annotated-pels/tablez-2.html
d. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/idlh/longdev/oldfiles/idlhabb3.html
e. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/toluene.pdf
until the concentrations reach low IDLH is a higher concentration than
parts-per-million (ppm) levels. Unfor- the odor threshold for most of these
tunately, many industrial processes chemicals. However, in the case of
produce odorous gases at concen- hydrogen sulfide, the human nose
trations that are both a nuisance and can become desensitized to the gas
that can present real health hazards. at concentrations lower than the
Ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, mer- IDLH. This means that humans may
captans and volatile organic com- not smell the hydrogen sulfide at lev-
pounds (VOCs) are examples of els where it can cause severe harm
odorous gases that may be pro- or death.
duced in the processes of several The following descriptions cover
types of industrial facilities, including several of the most common odor-
(but not limited to) WWTPs, asphalt ous gases found in the CPI.
refineries, hot mix plants, landfills, Ammonia. Ammonia is a colorless
farms and others. gas that is highly irritating with a
Table 1 lists several common pungent odor at room temperatures.
odorous gases associated with It is soluble in water, corrosive, and
these industry sectors. The table in- has alkaline properties. It can cause
cludes odor thresholds, characteris- hoarseness, violent coughing, pain-
tic odor, time-weight average (TWA) ful breathing, impaired vision, dys-
and immediately dangerous to life pnea and cyanosis when exposed to
or health (IDLH) levels for each gas. high levels [3].
The TWA represents the concentra- Hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide
tion of a given chemical that will not is a highly flammable, extremely haz-
cause adverse effects when the ex- ardous gas that has a characteristic
posure reaches eight hours per day. “rotten egg” smell. Hydrogen sulfide
In most cases, the TWA is higher has an odor threshold of 0.00047
than the odor threshold; meaning ppm, meaning that 50% of a human
that you can smell the odor before panel can smell it at that low of a
there is any potential hazard. The concentration [4]. At a concentration
IDLH is the level at which a chemical of around 150 ppm, olfactory nerves
can cause death or permanent ad- can become paralyzed, resulting in
verse health effects. Notice that the humans having the sense that the
40 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
smell disappears. Hydrogen sulfide
is lethal at 700–1,000 ppm within
minutes [5–7]. A complication with
hydrogen sulfide is that your sense
of smell disappears at only 150 ppm.
Therefore, one could be exposed to
higher levels of hydrogen sulfide and
not know that it is present. It is sol-
uble in water, corrosive and toxic to
both humans and the environment.
Mercaptans. Mercaptans, such as
ethyl mercaptan, are compounds
that contain a carbon-bonded sulfhy-
dryl group (–C–SH or R–SH, where R
represents an alkane, alkene or other
carbon-containing group of atoms).
Mercaptans are flammable, have
strong odors, and can be detected
by the human nose at concentrations
in the parts per billion range. Ethyl
mercaptan is intentionally added to
propane at low concentrations in
order to help warn of a potential gas
leak. At higher concentrations, ac-
cording to OSHA (U.S. Occupational
Safety and Health Administration;
Washington, D.C.; www.osha.gov)
regulations, ethyl mercaptan is clas-
sified as an acute toxic material for
oral ingestion and inhalation, as well
as for skin sensitization [8].
VOCs. VOCs, such as styrene, tolu-
ene and trichloroethylene, are or-
ganic chemicals that have high vapor
pressures at room temperature. Their
high vapor pressure allows them to
either evaporate or sublime, respec-
tively, from a liquid or solid to a gas.
Hazardous VOCs present safety con-
cerns, because they can be flamma-
ble, can cause cancer and chronic
health effects, and may be lethal at
certain concentrations. For example,
toluene is a VOC found in many in-
dustrial applications, including both
wastewater treatment plants and
asphalt refineries. It has a high odor
threshold of 2.9 ppm, which indi-
cates that the presence of the odor
may not be a good judge of safety
for this chemical. Toluene poses a
safety concern, as it presents acute
toxicity hazards for oral ingestion. It is
also a skin and eye irritant, and it may
cause damage to organs through
prolonged or repeated exposure.
With an odor similar to paint thinner,
it is an aromatic hydrocarbon, and is
insoluble in water [9].
SEPTEMBER 2017
 causing compounds.
Industrial sources
often cause concern
because the waste
can contain a number
of toxic chemicals.
Other odor-causing
chemicals do not di-
rectly come into a
WWTP from house-
holds or industrial
sources. They are
generated by anaero-
bic biological activity
that consume the or-
ganic material found
FIGURE 2. Odor-removal methods, such as the vapor-line system shown
here, involve treating the air that contains the odor-causing species
in the wastewater.
One of the most
Odors at WWTPs common odorous gases found in
Wastewater treatment plants WWTP is hydrogen sulfide (H2S). It
(WWTPs) generate odors during is produced in wastewater by the re-
many of their normal processes, in- duction of sulfate to hydrogen sulfide
cluding collection, treatment and gas by bacteria. At a pH above nine,
disposal (Figure 1). Incoming waste the hydrogen sulfide is in the form of
includes both household and indus- hydrosulfide ion (HS–), which does
trial sources, which both contain a not have an odor. However, at pH
number of different types of odor- below nine, hydrogen sulfide is re-
leased from the wastewater [10]. In
addition, chemical reagents used at
WWTP for treatment may be odor-
ous and can produce odors during
the treatment process. Common
emissions from WWTP include hy-
drogen sulfide, mercaptans, VOC,
ammonia and some nitrogen con-
taining compounds.
At WWTPs, compounds are only
noticeably odorous if the compound
is volatilized into the air. For exam-
ple, hydrogen sulfide dissolved into
wastewater has little odor. How-
ever, turbulence in the wastewater,
increased temperature, solubility
changes and pH changes can all
cause compounds, such as hydro-
gen sulfide, to volatilize to the gas
phase, thereby producing a higher
level of odor. In addition, the sur-
rounding community often considers
the odors coming from WWTPs as
being problematic. The WWTPs have
to evaluate the source of the odors.
Many studies have determined the
main sources of odors at WWTPs

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 to be the primary settlers, sludge-
digestions tanks, sludge thickening,
dewatering areas, raw wastewater,
centrifugation and disposal systems
[11]. Overall, two of the main contrib-
utors to odors are the primary treat-
ments and sludge-handling areas. At
this point, WWTPs have to consider
what type of odor control to use.
Odor remediation methods
WWTPs can use a variety of meth-
ods to remove odors. The main odor
control categories into which these
methods fall are the following: oper-
ation control methods, liquid-phase
addition and vapor-phase methods
(Figure 2).
Operation control methods. Op-
eration control methods involve
changing a process or operation in
order to reduce the odors. Operators
can help prevent offensive odors by
maintaining the correct dissolved
oxygen concentration, for example,
or by preventing excess sludge from
degrading, preventing overloading
and many other simple maintenance
techniques. However, operators
are often limited in what changes
they can make and may lack the
resources to make the necessary
changes. If operators are unable to
make changes to these processes,
or the changes do not fix the odor
problem, then they may look to other
methods of odor control.
Liquid-phase addition. Liquid-
phase addition involves adding a
chemical to the wastewater in order
to control the odors. The chemical
addition may either prevent odor-
causing chemicals from forming or
may react with the odorous com-
pounds to produce a safer, non-
odor-causing species. Engineers
may be able to take advantage of
other benefits with this technique;
namely, corrosion control. For in-
stance, hydrogen sulfide will react
with many of the liquid-phase chemi-
cals, resulting in hydrogen sulfide not
being released into the air stream.
Therefore, hydrogen sulfide will not
corrode the WWTP equipment.
Liquid-phase chemicals include,
but are not limited to, oxidizers, pH
modifiers and bactericides. Oxidizers
typically react with hydrogen sulfide
and other sulfur compounds. Bac-
42
tericides work by either inactivating
or killing anaerobic bacteria. The pH
modifiers tend to prevent the hydro-
gen sulfide from volatizing into the
air. The most common chemicals
added to the wastewater are iron
salts, ozone, nitrates, chlorine and
hydrogen peroxide.
Vapor-phase approaches
Vapor-phase methods involve the
treatment of the air or vapor that con-
tains the odorous compounds. There
are many different vapor-phase tech-
nologies that WWTPs utilize, includ-
ing, but not limited to, scrubbers, bio-
filtration, activated carbon, masking
agents and natural odor control using
plant oils as the active ingredients to
neutralize the odors. Below is a brief
summary of the basic way each of
these methods works.
Wet scrubbers. Wet scrubbers
pump the contaminated air into an
aqueous solution before it goes to
the ambient air. The odorous com-
pounds go into the liquid, and then
the odor-causing chemicals react
with the solution. Wet scrubbers
typically use sodium hypochlorite,
potassium permanganate, hydrogen
peroxide or sodium hydroxide in the
aqueous solution. If hydrogen sulfide
is the main odor concern, sodium
hydroxide is often used. However,
if mercaptans or ammonia are also
present, then a multi-stage scrubber
is used, with both sodium hydroxide
and sodium hypochlorite utilized in
separate stages.
Biofiltration. Biofiltration uses soil,
compost or some other material,
such as a substrate for bacteriologi-
cal population. The microbes remove
odors from the air through the media.
In order for the microbes to interact
with the odorous compounds, there
must be a large residence time in
the media. By lowering the velocity
of the air going through the media,
longer residence times result. Biofil-
tration works on odors that are both
biodegradable and water-soluble,
including hydrogen sulfide and other
sulfur-containing compounds. They
do not work effectively on chemicals
containing nitrogen.
Activated carbon. Activated car-
bon works by having the contami-
nated air stream pass through this
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
adsorbent material. Activated car-
bon is porous, with a large surface
area, which allows it to adsorb the
odorous chemicals in the air stream.
While activated carbon works well
on sulfur-containing compounds, it is
not as effective at treating nitrogen-
based compounds [12].
Masking agents. Masking agents
are chemicals that are sprayed into
the air to cover up the odors pro-
duced at the WWTP. Masking agents
use fragrances to cover up the odors.
They often work by adhering to the
outside of the odor molecule. After
a short period, the fragrance and the
odor separate, leaving the odor be-
hind. While masking agents give an
immediate cover to the odor, the odor
will eventually return. As a result, not
everyone in nearby communities will
be happy with the overall outcome.
Natural solutions. Finally, natural
odor control solutions can fully neu-
tralize odors, and are atomized or
vaporized into the air. These odor-
control products contain natural plant
oils, food-grade surfactant and water,
and are both safe for the environment
and the local community. When the
natural odor control product is atom-
ized into the air, small droplets are
produced that cover a large surface
area and attract odorous gas mol-
ecules through electrostatic charges.
The electrostatic charge also facili-
tates the attraction of malodor mol-
ecules to the droplet surface whereby
they absorb into the droplet. Once
the malodor is in the droplet, odor
neutralization occurs. The malodor
then either naturally biodegrades in
the droplet or an acid/base reaction
takes place, producing a non-hazard-
ous organic-salt and water.
Natural odor-control solutions often
use plant oils. These products have
the capability of neutralizing a broad
spectrum of odorous chemicals, in-
cluding hydrogen sulfide, mercap-
tans, VOCs, ammonia and amines.
These solutions can be atomized into
the air at WWTPs via air atomization
systems, hollow bladed fans or by va-
por-phase systems. The air atomiza-
tion systems use water and nozzles to
atomize the product into the air. The
nozzle system can be suited to most
applications at a WWTP. The hollow-
bladed fan system is a uniquely de-
SEPTEMBER 2017
signed system that dispenses the
product into the open air.
Current vapor-phase systems offer
a simple, effective and economical
delivery system specifically devel-
oped to disperse the water-based
odor-eliminating neutralizers. Vapor-
phase units are designed to produce
sub-micron droplets of products. This
is accomplished by a centrifugal pres-
sure blower that intakes atmospheric
air. The intake air stream is sprayed
with product, pulled through the
blower and finally dispersed on the
outlet side of the blower. Additional
water is not required. The sub-micron
size droplet allows for a more effec-
tive dry vapor that absorbs more odor
molecules than atomization systems.
In recent years, WWTPs have
come under an increasing level of
scrutiny from their respective sur-
rounding communities. The percep-
tion of odors coming from WWTPs
has resulted in many complaints
from the community. Investigating
the various odor-control methods
described in this article can help
minimize complaints. Overall, the
best solution would be one that re-
moves a broad spectrum of odors,
and is safe for both the community
and the environment. ■ “Odor Assessment and Management in Wastewater
Edited by Scott Jenkins
References
1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Reference
Guide to Odor Thresholds for Hazardous Air Pollut-
ants Listed in the Clean Air Act Amendment of 1990.”
https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/2000BHG5.
PDF?Dockey=2000BHG5.PDF
2. Mayo Clinic, “Diseases and Conditions Hyponatremia.”
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypo-
natremia/basics/definition/con-20031445
3. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH), “Ammonia (Anhydrous),” https://www.
cdc.gov/niosh/ipcsneng/neng0414.html.
4. Leonardos, G., Kendall, D., Barnard, N., “Odor Threshold
Determinations of 53 Odorant Chemicals,” http://dx.doi.
org/10.1080/00022470.1969.10466465.
5. U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration,
“Hydrogen Sulfide” Definition, https://www.osha.gov/
SLTC/hydrogensulfide/hazards.html.
6. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Occu-
pational Health Guidelines for Hydrogen Sulfide,” https://
www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0337.pdf.
7. National Academy of Science, “Hydrogen Sulfide Acute
Exposure Guideline Levels,” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.
gov/books/NBK208170/.
8. New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services,
“Hazardous Substance Factsheet: Ethyl Mercaptan,”
nj.gov/health.
9. U.S. EPA, “Toluene – Hazard Summary,” www.epa.gov/
sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/toluene.pdf.
10. Lebrero, R., Bouchy, L., Stuetz, R. and Muñoz, R.,
Treatment Plants: A Review,” http://www.tandfonline.
com/doi/abs/10.1080/10643380903300000.
11. U.S. EPA, “Detection, Control and Correction of Hydro-
gen Sulfide Corrosion in Existing Wastewater Systems,”
https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/200045MK.
PDF?Dockey=200045MK.PDF.
12. Zhang, L., DeSchryver, P., DeGusseme, DeMuynck, W.,
Boon, N. and Verstaete, W., “Chemical and Biological
Technologies For Hydrogen Sulfide Emission Control
In Sewer Systems,” http://www.sciencedirect.com/sci-
ence/article/pii/S0043135407004745.
Author
Laura Haupert is the director of
research and development for OMI
Industries (1300 Barbour Way,
Rising Sun, IN 47040; Phone:
1-812-438-9218; Email:
lhaupert@omi-industries.com;
Website: odormanagement.com).
At OMI, Haupert helps develop
natural solutions for the treatment
of industrial odors, and supports
the company’s Ecosorb technology, which is designed to
eliminate odors without hazardous chemicals. Haupert
earned her B.S. in chemistry (biochemistry concentra-
tion) from Manchester College and holds a Ph.D. in
physical chemistry from Purdue University, where she
worked in the area of solvated clusters. Haupert also
completed post-doctoral research at Purdue.

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 Feature Report

Smart Water-
Management Strategies:
The Time is Now
Considering water-management strategies as a central component of infrastructure design at
industrial facilities will unlock cost savings throughout the operation
Schneider Electric

M
Jürgen Engert ounting water
Schneider Electric shortages
and resulting
regulations
across the globe are fu-
IN BRIEF eling the need for seam-
WATER RESOURCE less and smarter water-
CHALLENGES management methods
— particularly in indus-
IMPACT ON INDUSTRY
trial manufacturing en-
FILLING THE VOID vironments where water
IMPLEMENTATION
usage, treatment and
STRATEGIES disposal is a critical part
of all processes. In these
settings, water control
and management should
not be isolated or treated
as an afterthought, but
rather included in plant
infrastructure strategies
from the onset. If water
quality is poor, it com-
promises everything that
follows, and can also af-
fect the life expectancy
of a plant’s water sys-
tems, product quality and
overall infrastructure. A
strategy is needed that
thinks beyond SCADA
(supervisory control and
data acquisition) systems
to render all aspects of
an industrial facility view- FIGURE 1. The increasing scarcity of water as a resource is driving change in the pro-
duction processes used by industrial companies
able as a single pane of
glass, enabling manufacturers to access all dustry challenges, such as aging and fail-
information in one place for a “smarter” ap- ing infrastructure, tightening regulations,
proach to water and product management. pressing needs for water conservation and
Achieving a smarter water-management quality, among others (Figure 1). Despite the
strategy requires addressing some key in- challenges, new monitoring and manage-
46 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
ment technologies are readily avail-
able today to optimize your assets,
including both human assets and
hardware availability, delivery, use
and quality. These technologies help
drive operational and maintenance
efficiency, reduction of waste in en-
ergy, material and operation, and im-
proves the bottom line.
This article provides an overview
of best practices related to gaining
a centralized perspective for an en-
tire process network that includes
water, in order to better manage
human, hardware and stranded as-
sets, reduce water leakage and re-
duce energy costs — all contributors
to a plant’s bottom line. Cost savings
can then be re-invested back into
the network and infrastructure for
further efficiency and performance
gains. The article discusses five key
best practices, including: increas-
ing operational efficiency; optimizing
energy consumption, continuity of
service and regulatory compliance;
improving asset performance man-
agement; and using innovative tech-
nologies to achieve smarter water
management.
Water resource challenges
The author Mark Twain once said,
“Whiskey is for drinking; water is for
fighting over.” While the statement
came from a much earlier time pe-
riod, it’s becoming increasingly rel-
evant today.
Current forecasts suggest the
possibility of a global water crisis is
highly probable in the not too distant
future. According to the United Na-
tions, by 2030 the world water sup-
ply will fall short by at least 40%, as
detailed in the World Water Develop-
ment Report 2015. The report can
be found at www.unesco.org. Those
who have better prepared for this
inevitability will fare better than the
rest. The impact of a 40% shortfall
will be felt well before 2030. What
can be done today to minimize the
likelihood of a business disruption or
unexpected cost escalation due to
water issues in the future?
In much the same way that petro-
leum was a 20th-century resource-
management issue, water is quickly
becoming our next resource chal-
lenge, and will likely be how the
21st-century is remembered, with
far-reaching impact. With the real-
ization that there are no renewable
alternatives to water, it is a scarce
resource that cannot be simply
“manufactured.” We need to use
water without using it up — we must
protect what we have, become more
efficient and continue to push the
boundaries of technology to secure
a water-safe future.
This realization — in conjunction
with increased water-related regula-
tions across the globe — is fueling
the need for seamless, smart water-
management strategies, particularly
within city infrastructures, highly pop-
ulous regions and across industrial
manufacturing environments, where
water usage, treatment and disposal
are critical needs. In these settings,

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CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 47

 water control and management
should be carefully considered as
part of industrial processes and plant
infrastructure strategies from the
onset. If water quality is poor or water
is wasted, all operations that follow
are compromised, which negatively
impacts operational performance,
costs and the life expectancy of a
plant’s water systems and output.
Circle 15 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-15
48
Impact on industry
The increasing scarcity of water will
be accompanied by cost increases,
environmental hurdles and increased
competition to simply find and secure
available water. Operators of indus-
trial facilities should anticipate tighter
regulatory scrutiny across the world.
These challenges will be far reach-
ing and will have serious impacts
on many organizations. Mining and
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
power generation companies must
accelerate innovation to transform
processes to be more eco-friendly
to better manage and reduce trace
impurities in wastewater. Chemical
and petrochemical facilities with ex-
tremely large wastewater streams
must adapt to minimize liquid dis-
charge and reduce water dependen-
cies as costs escalate.
Although these challenges vary
in nature and magnitude across in-
dustrial facilities, significant oppor-
tunities for improvement are closely
connected. For instance, the volume
of data collected around consuming
and discharging water is expected
to grow dramatically, as the use of
smart meters and sensors spreads
in the industry. However, it is not
just about collecting, managing and
analyzing data, but rather about
improving the quality and speed of
decision-making to transform the
way water and water infrastructures
are managed and used. Data-driven
insights have great potential to
transform the way both utilities and
industrial manufacturers think about
water as a resource and how the in-
dustry plans, invests and manages
its water footprint.
Now is the time to rethink how
smart water solutions can be im-
plemented today to reduce the
pending water availability con-
straints of our future. The first step
is to change how we think about
water — it is no longer a limitless
resource that simply needs to be
managed. The future will require a
much closer examination of how
water is collected, utilized and re-
cycled in order to minimize the po-
tential disruptive effects now on the
horizon. Moving beyond SCADA
solutions will be necessary, to not
only react to how water is used, but
to proactively engage with water-
consumption processes as a po-
tential to optimize and significantly
transform the role water will play in
industrial operations.
New intelligence extracted from an
increasing reliance upon the indus-
trial internet of things (IIoT) will reveal
new tips that manufacturing facilities
can adopt to achieve a more holistic
approach to optimize water manage-
SEPTEMBER 2017

FIGURE 2. The role of mobile devices has greatly
expanded to better visualize system performance
and improve worker efficiency
ment. This “beyond SCADA” mind-
set will underscore best practices
that will allow industrial organizations
to better manage water as a pre-
cious resource through all produc-
tion stages, from site assessment
to the supply chain, and from raw
material stages to production and
distribution strategies that are highly
focused on the recycling or reclaim-
ing of wastewater.
Filling the void
SCADA systems have been around
for decades. Yet despite the many
technology improvements that have
occurred in automation, collabora-
tion and application development, a
large proportion of SCADA devices
and applications provide the same
level of operational functionality as
what was available 20 years ago.
From a control room perspective,
data acquired from control devices
lets operators visualize what is hap-
pening in the field. When an out-
of-tolerance event occurs, alarms
are triggered to elicit an appropri-
ate response. Once this transac-
tional data has been acted upon, it
is often discarded. Or, it is retained
within the system, but is never ac-
cessed again.
Consider the following questions:
• When an alarm occurs, does your
workforce have enough informa-
tion to act accordingly?
• What do you do with the data
collected from daily maintenance
rounds?
• Does your SCADA system allow
you to perform maintenance when
it is needed, or only when some-
thing breaks?
• Are all of your systems integrated
to provide a single version of the
truth?
• Can you determine whether your
processes today are better or
worse than last week? How about
between locations?
• Can you guarantee an event re-
sponse is conducted as a stan-
dardized process? Or, if not, do
you have visibility to understand
what happened?
• Is your workforce accountable in a
measurable way?
• Is your workforce properly trained
to handle any situation? The German Way of
• Can your SCADA system help to
capture and analyze energy con- Joint Innovation
sumption data, in context, to then
recommend suitable responses
that are actionable?
Horizontal
All of the data necessary to an-
swer these questions flow in and out
Thin Film Dryer
of your SCADA system at near real-
Efficient drying of
time speed. Going beyond the tradi-
tional mindset delivered by SCADA municipal and
systems is what the term “beyond industrial sludges.
SCADA” is all about. Beyond SCADA
solutions can provide longterm value,
and a tremendous return on invest-
ment. Such solutions can achieve
this through the following:
• Empowering your workforce with
increased mobility, communication
and intelligence (Figure 2)
• Enforcing operational standards
with workflows and mobile, intel-
ligent rounds More information at
• Enabling return on investment by
reducing maintenance and energy PowTech 17 • Nuremberg
costs
• Energizing businesses with col- Hall 2 • Stand 2 - 413
laborative data in one environment
delivering one version of the truth
• Ensuring consistent and accurate
data to protect against compliance
www.sms-vt.com
concerns
More importantly, a “beyond Circle 09 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-09

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Tel: +49 60 33 / 85 - 0 • Fax: +49 60 33 / 85 - 249
 SCADA” strategy can begin to re-
veal new levels of detail on how
resources are consumed within
production processes — includ-
ing water. Process innovation can
be tested and readily compared to
past performance to identify op-
portunities for improvement and
reduced resource requirements.
Enhanced visibility from across all
operations can then allow these
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50
improvements to be readily ap-
plied across all operations, con-
sistently, to help amplify the effects
of improved performance to much
higher levels, as operational agility
increases accordingly.
Going one step further, if there
is a shift in how water resources
are managed individually by busi-
nesses or utilities, and the ele-
ments of that shift are crystallized
26033
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
as industry best practices that
enhance sustainable water man-
agement and water quality stan-
dards, then significant results can
be achieved. It will only be with this
level of collaboration and sharing
of best practices that the forecast
40% reduction of water availability
can be reached without disastrous
consequences to industry.
Implementation strategies
Here are a few practical implementa-
tion practices that you should con-
sider to be part of your company’s
global water strategy. These should
then be revisited as a part of your
continuous improvement and water
optimization strategy:
Increase operational efficiency.
Centrally monitor and manage all
plants and assets, including water
usage, water and wastewater treat-
ment and water infrastructure. This
allows plants to maintain continuity of
supply and quality, enable benchmark
consumption and save electricity with
storage and analytics of key param-
eters. These actions help avoid un-
scheduled downtime and identify op-
portunities for process improvement.
Regular analysis of asset status and
data can also help identify parts of the
network that may be under stress and
predict early failures.
Optimize energy consumption.
Expand visualization, modeling,
analysis and reporting at an asset
or site level for smarter energy con-
sumption. The design, simulation,
monitoring, reporting and equip-
ment for water networks can op-
timize water delivery with full leak
detection to minimize non-revenue
water. For instance, better capabili-
ties to gain insight on the root cause
of leaks and remediate issues more
quickly can help reduce the impact
of disruption.
Improve continuity of service and
regulatory compliance. There
are plenty of applications with ad-
vanced data analytics tools to help
gain visibility for operations staff,
including historical data, alarms,
events and reporting, including
automatic notifications that help
maintain regulatory compliance for
the lowest possible cost, with the
SEPTEMBER 2017
highest continuity of service. Such
models can also help better simu-
late future risk scenarios and im-
prove intervention response.
Establish closed-loop solutions
for asset performance manage-
ment. The IIoT is empowering or-
ganizations to shift to a holistic,
operations-centric view where
condition-based, proactive and
predictive maintenance strategies
let frontline staff act before costly
failures occur. As a result, com-
panies can establish closed-loop
solutions to monitor and control
individual assets, improve opera-
tion of key processes and access
to enterprise wide information for
improved decision making.
Invest in operator training. Each
of these initiatives can yield sig-
nificant results, but only if they are
actually executed upon and ad-
hered to consistently across all of
your operations. The mindset must
evolve within industrial compa-
nies that water is a shared, global
Circle 10 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-10
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
and scarce resource that must be
treated accordingly.
The road ahead is long and will
not be easy. But early adopters of
these best practices are now see-
ing efficiency improvement at levels
not previously considered possible.
Investment in these types of solu-
tions can have a break-even point
in shorter periods of time than previ-
ously considered.
The benefits from implement-
ing this strategy can extend years
into the future, while at the same
time providing cause for celebration
when scarce water resources are
better preserved and recycled. Em-
ployees working at industrial com-
panies will be proud of the progress,
as will your customers.
Collaboration across entire in-
dustries on water-related issues
will transform business processes,
and help avert significant environ-
mental and cost ramifications. And,
with the evolving global regulations
certain to be in the future, those
SEPTEMBER 2017
organizations that invest today in
smart water strategies will avoid
potential business disruptions and
unexpected cost increases. It all
starts with SCADA. Now is the time
to do something with the data, to
be proactive and add intelligence
for a smarter future, by looking “be-
yond SCADA.” n
Edited by Scott Jenkins
Author
Jürgen “Rudy” Engert is the in-
frastructure business manager for
Schneider Electric Software
(26561 Rancho Parkway South,
Lake Forest, CA 92630; Phone:
(949) 727-3200; Email: jurgen.
engert@schneider-electric.com).
Engert has been part of the
Schneider Electric team for nearly
20 years, in a business develop-
ment role, providing consultation to a wide scope of in-
dustries, focused primarily on government and infra-
structure. As a business development manager, his role
is to understand the unique nature of each customer to
then map an innovative software and services solution.
By leveraging existing data, resources and systems, he
has had a successful track record of extrapolating
greater value through continuous improvement in pro-
cess, maintenance and operations.
51
 Feature Report
An Overview of
Vacuum System Design
The design of vacuum systems deserves careful attention — there are multiple facets that
affect efficiency, operability and cost
U
Patrick Govoni nderstanding vacuum and de-
DPS Engineering signing vacuum systems can
be difficult, and there are many
unique aspects that an engineer
IN BRIEF must take into account. Although some as-
INTRODUCTORY pects of compressed-gas system design
CONCEPTS can be translated to vacuum-system de-
VACUUM PUMPS
sign, for the most part they are two entirely
separate subjects. This article discusses
VACUUM SYSTEM common misconceptions, such as units
COMPONENTS of measurement and calculation of flow. It
also covers methods of producing vacuum
PIPE SIZING
METHODOLOGY and design aspects, such as minimizing air
leakage, pressure drop, condensation and
OTHER DESIGN
a specific approach to sizing vacuum pip-
CONSIDERATIONS
ing. The design of vacuum systems is cer-
tainly a topic that deserves careful attention
given that there are multiple facets that af-
fect efficiency, operability and cost. After a
few key changes in perspective, the reader
will find the subject is not as intimidating as
it first appears.
Introductory concepts
Defining vacuum. The common definition
describes vacuum as a space void of mat-
ter. However, at the current level of technol-
ogy, scientists have not demonstrated that
it is possible to remove all gas from a given
space. The practical definition would be
that vacuum is a space where the pressure
is lower than atmospheric pressure. In ca-
sual conversation, the definition of vacuum
is often incorrectly defined as the pressure
differential or the force created between an
area of lower pressure and an area of higher
pressure. Whichever way it is defined, the
functions and applications of vacuum are
myriad and span across industries. The
core applications include removing active
atmospheric components that could cause
physical or chemical reactions for dairy
packaging applications, achieving a pres-
52 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
NOMENCLATURE
ACFM Actual cubic feet per minute, ft3/min
SCFM Standard cubic feet per minute, ft3/min
p Pressure, torr
T Temperature, °R
Fa,b Mass flowrate of components a and b, lb/h
MWa,b Molecular weight of components a and b,
lb/lbmol
qpV Throughput, torr.ft3/min
V Volume, ft3
t Time, min
m Mass, lb
R Universal gas constant, 1,545 lbf.ft/(lbmol.°R)
C Conductance, ft3/min
∆p Pressure differential, torr
S Pumping speed, ACFM
p0 Pressure prior to pumpdown, torr
p1 Pressure after pumpdown, torr
L Length, ft
fD Darcy friction factor
r Density, lb/ft3
v Velocity, ft/s
D Hydraulic diameter of pipe (internal pipe diameter
of a circular section), ft
W Piping air leakage, lb/h
w Valve air leakage, lb/h
Q Volumetric flowrate, ACFM
A Pipe flow area, ft2
sure difference for lifting, reducing heat or
electrical energy transfer for insulation, or
removing dissolved gas or volatile liquid
from materials for freeze drying.
Units. Understanding units is the first chal-
lenge encountered when learning about
vacuum. For most common pressure units,
a particular pressure lower than atmospheric
can be described in three distinct ways: an
absolute pressure (4.7 psia), a gage pressure
(–10 psig), and a vacuum pressure (10 psi
vacuum). This ambiguity is prone to cause
headaches, especially if more than one of
these units are used in the same conversa-
tion or document. The torr unit (1 torr = 1
mm Hg) is therefore often preferable, be-
cause it is defined on an absolute scale and
WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
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 American Soc. of Plumbing Engineers
psig torr kPa in Hg vac mbar in Hg abs psia
0 760
100 29.9 14.7 (0 PSIG)
1000 P
14
-1 2 28 P
700
90 900 13
-2 4 26

-3 24 12
80 6 800 SCFM
600
ACFM
-4 22 11
8
70 700 10 Figure 2. Shown here is the gas expansion that takes place upon entry into
-5 500 10 20
piping under vacuum
-6 12 18 9
60 600

-7 14 16 8 To account for this volumetric sensitivity to pressure, it

400
50 500 is helpful to view flow using throughput, qPV, as given in
-8 16 14 7
Equation (3):
-9 300 40 18 12 6
400
p V m R T
-10 20 10 5 q pV = =
30 t MW t (3)
22 300 4
-11 200 8

-12 20 24 6 3 Throughput, which is equal in value at all points of a

200
closed system, is generally used to illustrate overall mass
26 4 2
-13 100 flow through a system. The addition of the pressure term
10
-14 28 100 2 1 adds context to the volumetric flow and often provides a
29.9 0
better representation of system demand than a simple vol-
-14.7psig torr kPa in Hg vac mbar in Hg abs psia umetric flowrate. However, the temperature must be con-
FIGURE 1. This graphic shows the different units one can use when discuss- stant throughout the system for throughput and mass flow
ing vacuum [1] to be related, unless one wishes to use significantly more
complicated adiabatic flow equations. To understand flow
eliminates any ambiguity. The most common pressure at certain points in a system at a particular pressure, con-
units and their relative values are shown in Figure 1. ductance, C, is used, as shown in Equation (4):
Flowrates. Flowrate is another main area that may con-
fuse engineers new to the topic, namely the relationship q pV
C=
between standard volumetric flow in standard cubic feet p (4)
per minute (SCFM), pressure, and actual volumetric flow
at the system pressure in actual cubic feet per minute As with electrical conductance, vacuum conductance
(ACFM), as given by Equation (1): is a reciprocal of flow resistance and indicates the ability
760 T + 460 to allow passage. Resistance in vacuum flow is caused by
ACFM = SCFM (1) friction between gas molecules and the wall surface and
p 520 friction between the gas molecules themselves, resulting
(Note: all parameters are defined in the Nomenclature in pressure differences and volumetric flowrate losses.
box on p. 52). Conductivities can also be connected by following the
For multiple-component gas mixtures, a slightly differ- same rule as its electrical counterpart, adding individual
ent equation must be used since condensable vapors, conductivities when in parallel and adding the reciprocals
such as water, can significantly alter flow. This is shown of the conductivities, or resistances, when in series.
in Equation (2) for a two-component mixture: Pumpdown. Implementation of vacuum principles is
very different based on application, such as whether the
Fa F 359 760 T + 460 system flows or is closed. Where filtering or drying de-
ACFM = + b
MWa MWb 60 p 520 (2) mands a constant flow of vacuum, evacuating and main-
taining vacuum in an enclosed space demands a lower
Higher-pressure gas entering a lower-pressure piping volumetric flowrate as the ultimate vacuum pressure, a
system expands as a result of the pressure difference, parameter determined by the efficiency of the vacuum
thus ACFM will be larger than SCFM (Figure 2). But at the pump, is approached.
lower end of vacuum pressures, it becomes apparent The ultimate vacuum pressure of a vacuum pump is
this relationship is exponential. One standard volume of specific to the design of that particular pump and de-
gas expands 7.6 times upon entry to a 100 torr system, pends on characteristics such as the vapor pressure of
15.2 times to a 50 torr system, and 76 times to a 10 torr the oil or other sealing liquid and the degree to which the
system. By contrast, in compressed gas systems, the system leaks. The logarithmic rate at which a vacuum
pressure term changes less than 0.06 for every change pump approaches its ultimate vacuum pressure, how-
of 50 torr. Consequently, this is why vacuum piping is ever, can be explained by a simple concept that applies
often much larger than compressed-gas piping, even if to all types of mechanical vacuum pumps. The density
flow demand is lower for the former. of a vapor decreases as pressure decreases, and me-
54 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
(Torr) Exhaust Inlet Exhaust
10-3 10-2 10-1 1 101 Inlet
100 50
Effective pumping speed 50 Hz

10
10 5
(m3/h) (cfm)
1
1 0.5

0.1
10-3 10-2
Figure 3. This graph shows the relationship between pumping speed and
pressure of a typical rotary-vane vacuum pump [2]
chanical vacuum pumps are constant-volume devices.
Thus, the number of molecules that are displaced in each
successive volume is gradually less as a vacuum pump
reaches the lower-pressure regime.
A simple illustration of this phenomenon would be
a vacuum pump curve that shows a decrease in inlet
capacity as inlet pressure decreases until the ultimate
vacuum pressure is reached, such as shown in Figure
3. An estimate of the time required to pump down from
a specific pressure, p0, to another pressure, p1, is given
by Equation (5):
v p
t= ln 0
s p1
However, this time estimate is often shown to be con-
sistently lower than the actual evacuation time due to
leakages and pump inefficiencies.
Vacuum pumps
There are several types of vacuum pumps and each type
has its own benefits and drawbacks that must be con-
0.1
Diaphragm
Up stroke
10-1 1 101 102 Down stroke
(mbar)
Pressure
Figure 4. This diagram illustrates the operating principle of a diaphragm
vacuum pump
sidered when making the best choice for a specific appli-
cation. A vacuum pump is essentially an air compressor
operating in reverse, where it compresses the air or gas
in the vacuum system and discharges it into a vent.
Diaphragm pumps. The simplest vacuum pump is a
diaphragm pump, which consists of an inlet valve, outlet
valve, and diaphragm that sucks in gas on expansion
and pushes gas out on contraction (Figure 4). Mostly
used for laboratory benchtop or other small applications,
diaphragm pumps are oil-less and water-less, with the
pump mechanism sealed off from process fluids. These
are best for low-flow applications (pressure greater than
100 torr) and for those with a fluid with contamination or
other chemical sensitivities.
(5) Rotary-vane pumps. Rotary-vane pumps are used
in many different situations and can handle pressures
below 10–3 torr. A rotary vane pump (Figure 5) consists
of a single eccentric rotor with vanes inside a larger cav-
ity. During suction, a vane brings in the gas, rotating
until the other vane closes off a volume of gas from the
vacuum system. There is further compression as the
vanes rotate, eventually expelling the gas through the
outlet valve.

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CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 55

 Edwards Vacuum

2. Isolation

1. Induction 3. Compression

Figure 6. This illustration shows the operating principle of a rotary-lobe

4. Exhaust vacuum pump [4]
the exhaust and filtration for contaminants that become
trapped in the liquid may be needed. These pumps are
quite amenable to a large condensable load; while tem-
perature loss due to condensing vapors can lower ef-
ficiency, corrosion is not an issue as it would be for oil-
sealed or dry pumps.
Figure 5. This drawing shows the operating principle of a rotary-vane vacuum Rotary-lobe pumps. Rotary-lobe pumps, also called
pump [3]
Roots blowers or booster pumps, consist of two lobed
This type of pump requires lubrication oil that may rotors that spin in opposite directions in a casing with
require an oil separator for exhaust. If the pump is tight clearances (Figure 6). This type of pump is limited
pulling potential condensables, a gas ballast can be by its design, in that a high pressure differential between
included that reduces the pressure needed to open inlet and outlet causes a significant amount of heat gen-
the outlet valve, thus reducing the likelihood of vapors eration in the rotors, which can cause contact or seizure.
condensing in the pump cavity. A high volume of con- This attribute is why a rotary lobe pump does not ex-
densables, especially solvents, can negatively impact haust directly to atmosphere and is often paired with a
these pumps, as they have a tendency to mix with mechanical backing pump. Although an overflow valve
the seal oil and can corrode the pump internals if not can be added to prevent this heat build-up, its addition
handled properly. would further limit the maximum possible pressure dif-
Liquid-ring pumps. Liquid-ring pumps are common ferential of the pump, making the backing pump even
vacuum pumps; they attain pressures down to 25 torr, more necessary.
and are preferred from a reliability perspective because However, the maximum pumping speed of a rotary-
of their low-friction design. Similar to rotary-vane pumps, lobe pump is limited to pressures between about 50
liquid-ring pumps consist of a single eccentric rotor that and 0.1 torr, which is where other mechanical pumps
pulls gas with an initially expanding and later contract- typically start to slow down and where water vaporizes at
ing cavity using a ring of liquid, usually water, that acts the highest rate. This is quite convenient on both counts,
as the boundary between the gas volumes. Solvents as water can add an excessive workload and increase
such as hydrocarbons and other liquids can be used as pumpdown time considerably on single-pump systems.
well, depending on the application. A liquid separator on Rotary-lobe pumps are often paired with a backing pump
to accelerate startup to steady state in sensitive appli-
TABLE 1. AIR LEAKAGE RATES FOR VARIOUS SEALS, cations where speed is critical. Because these pumps
CONNECTIONS, AND VALVES IN ROUGH VACUUM [7] are most efficient in the lower pressure regime and the
Component  = specific leak
rate*, lb/h/in.
Static seals High-pressure 2nd stage suction head
steam inlet 2nd
O-ring construction 0.002 stage
Conventional gasket seals 0.005 Discharge
Thermally cycled static seals 2nd stage
steam 2nd stage 2nd stage
T ≤ 200°F 0.005 chat
Steam steam combining
strainer nozzle throat
200 < T < 400°F 0.018
T ≥ 400°F 0.032
1st stage
Motion (rotary) seals combining throat
O-ring construction 0.10
Mechanical seals 0.10
Conventional packing 0.25
Threaded connections 0.015
Access ports 0.020
Viewing windows 0.015 1st stage
steam nozzle
Valves used to isolate system Suction
Ball 0.02 1st stage
Gate 0.04 suction head
Steam strainer
Globe 0.02
1st stage
Plug-cock 0.01 steam chest High-pressure steam
inlet 1st stage
Valves used to throttle control gas into vacuum system 0.25
*Note: Assumes sonic (or critical) flow across the component Figure 7. This cutaway diagram shows the operation of an ejector pump

56 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017

potential heat build-up, these pumps choices, so pump capacity must between high conductance when
are not started until the pressure has take this into account. fully open and low or zero conduc-
been reduced enough so that their Ball valves are inexpensive, have a tance when fully closed. Depend-
motor is not overloaded. fairly high conductance, and a mod- ing on the application, an O-ring
Ejectors. As an alternative to a est leak rate. Despite these favorable can be included on the disc to give
vacuum pump, a simple ejector (Fig- parameters, for inexplicable reasons, zero conductance when the valve
ure 7) can be an elegant solution to ball valves are not often used in many is closed or not included to give a
vacuum generation. Ejectors, often vacuum applications. fixed, low conductance.
called steam-jet ejectors, are inex- Butterfly valves are mostly used Angle valves are often used on top
pensive and simple to install, oper- for conductance control, where of tanks or in other situations where
ate and maintain. Instead of using the travel of the valve’s disc varies space is an important consideration.
electricity for power, a motive gas
must be supplied, usually steam or
compressed gas, to create the suc-
tion force that generates the vac-
uum. The motive gas approaches
the nozzle at a high pressure and
Dependable seals
low velocity. As it passes through the
nozzle, the gas expands, dropping in
pressure and increasing in velocity.
start with DeWAL
The suction gas, at a lower pressure Seals, gaskets and diaphragms can all leak, so DeWAL
and low velocity, is drawn into the Industries has developed a broad range of durable,
chamber via the high-velocity motive bondable PTFE and UHMW ilm and tape compositions
gas and is combined. The two fluids that create dependable seals despite abrasion, harsh
travel through the throat and begin
chemicals, high temperatures or irregular surfaces.
to expand along the diffuser outlet,
gradually decreasing in velocity and
increasing in pressure to a slightly
higher velocity and much lower pres-
sure relative to that of the motive gas
at the inlet.
Ejectors can be placed in series,
both to increase and widen the op-
erating range of vacuum level or
flow. Condensers can be included
before, in between, or after ejectors
More than a dozen DeWAL PTFE and UHMW ilms and
to increase the efficiency of recap-
tapes are designed speciically for gaskets, expansion
ture of the motive fluid. An ejector
is particularly desirable over pumps joints, valve seals and diaphragms.
in fast-cycling applications due to
its lack of moving parts and speed
to establish vacuum. If a constant,
high-vacuum flow is required, how-
ever, ejectors may not be as energy
efficient as a pump.

Vacuum system components

Valves. Valves used in vacuum ap-
plications are differentiated mainly
by their conductances and leak-
age rates. Gate valves have a very Let DeWAL engineering
high conductance in that they have help you with your most
an unobstructed, straight-through dificult challenges.
orifice and a short distance between
Quality of Product...First
ends. Because of their high conduc-
Narragansett, RI 02882
tance, gate valves are often placed www.dewal.com • usa1@dewal.com
800-366-8356 • 001-401-789-9736
between the vacuum system and
the pump. However, these valves
have higher leakage rates than other Circle 14 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-14

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 57

 Emerson Electric Co.
Vacuum being
regulated Vacuum source
Vacuum tank
Figure 8: These diagrams show the priciples behind a vacuum regulator and a
vacuum breaker [6]
These valves are simple to maintain and install, have low
leak rates, but a lower conductance than similar, straight-
through valves.
There are two main valves used for vacuum control:
vacuum regulators and vacuum breakers (Figure 8).
Vacuum regulators work by limiting decreases in vac-
uum level, essentially as pressure-reducing regulators
in reverse. When the inlet reads a loss of vacuum, or
an increase in pressure, beyond the setpoint, the valve
opens. And the opening valve allows the lower pres-
sure, downstream vacuum to restore the upstream
vacuum to its original level. Vacuum breakers essen-
tially work in an opposite fashion, by limiting increases
in vacuum level.
Receivers. A receiver, or knock-out pot, is a tank in
between a pump (or pumps) and a piping system that
serves as both a vacuum pressure-stabilizing element
and a liquid-catch tank. As the largest volume in a vac-
uum system, a receiver effectively increases the time
required to both lower and raise pressure. By increas-
ing the time required to change pressure, it provides a
vacuum storage time in between pump operation and
rising or falling demand from opening or closing inlets. In
addition to steadying the vacuum level of the system, a
well-designed receiver increases pump reliability by re-
ducing pump short-cycling.
A receiver also provides a catch-tank for liquids to
58
760 torr 2 in. 10 torr
Header
1 SCFM 76 ACFM
760 torr 1 in. 50 torr 10 torr 2 in.
1 SCFM Header
15 ACFM 76 ACFM
760 torr 2 in. 10 torr 50 torr 1 in.
Header
1 SCFM 76 ACFM 15 ACFM
Figure 9. This drawing illustrates different design options for delivering two
distinct pressures in a single system
provide a barrier between vacuum generation and pip-
ing system for both condensables entering through inlets
and for liquid pump sealant traveling to the distribution
network. Often, such a tank will have baffles or some-
thing similar to provide more surface area and a longer
flow path for vapor to condense. A receiver should be
sized based on pump capacity, piping system volume,
desired operating pressure range, and desired vacuum
storage time.
Condensers and traps. Condensers or traps should
be considered if there is potential for a large amount of
condensable generation in a given system. As pressure
decreases, the rate of evaporation for any given material
Vacuum
pump increases, and this continues until the saturated vapor
pressure is reached, where evaporation becomes much
more rapid. As long as such material exists anywhere in
a vacuum system, the minimum pressure attainable is
limited to that saturated vapor pressure.
Furthermore, condensables can cause considerable
problems for vacuum pumps. Condensation due to
condensable gases entering a liquid-ring pump results
in a temperature rise, negatively affecting both the low-
est pressure attainable and the capacity of the pump.
A high condensable load for oil-sealed and dry pumps,
on the other hand, can lead to corrosion and eventual
failure. A receiver, as discussed above, can provide a
simple gravity and surface-area separation method for
handling condensables.
Vacuum traps work on one of two principles: sorption
and condensation. Sorption traps use either adsorption
or absorption to trap and hold liquid molecules. The ef-
fectiveness of sorption traps depends on the interaction
between the particular condensables in that system and
the trap media, and on the operation of the vacuum sys-
tem. For example, while alumina balls can efficiently trap
oil molecules, any water molecules that pass would be
selectively absorbed over the oil and effectively displace
any oil molecules that may be trapped. Condensation
traps rely on a cold surface to condense vapor mole-
cules. These traps would only be effective if the dewpoint
of the vapor is greater than the cooling medium tem-
perature and the pressure is greater than the vapor pres-
sure of the cooling medium. Furthermore, consideration
must be taken that the temperature is not low enough
to freeze any liquid that may collect on the cold surface.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
Pipe sizing methodology
Presented here is a step-by-step approach for sizing the W = 0.032 p 0.26 V 0.60 ; 10 p < 100 torr (8)
piping in a vacuum system.
1. Identify and count the number of inlets. W = 0.106 V 0.60 ; 100 p < 760 torr (9)
2. Determine the required flowrate for each inlet. Ap-
proximately 1 SCFM can be assumed for laboratory 10. Determine approximate valve locations.
inlets. 11. Estimate valve air leakage rates, w, by using Equa-
3. Select the location of the supply source, taking into tions (10), (11) or (12), depending on the pressure
account process piping, venting routes, drainage of values from Table 1.
condensables, and electrical routing.
4. Map out the piping layout from each inlet to header w= D p 0.34 ; 1 p < 10 torr (10)
to source and approximate the location of all elbows.
5. Determine the system operating pressure. This var- w = 1.20 D p 0.26 ; 10 p < 100 torr (11)
ies widely according to the application.
6. Calculate the equivalent run of pipe by adding friction w = 3.98 D ; 100 p < 760 torr (12)
losses of individual fittings or adding a flat percent-
age, usually 15–50%. 12. Calculate the velocity through the pipe by using
7. Approximate line sizes to provide a base value. Equation (13):
8. Calculate pressure loss using the Darcy-Weisbach
equation, given by Equation (6): Q
v= (13)
p 760 v2 A
= fD (6)
L 14.7 2 D 13. Iterate until final pressure, leakage and velocity val-
9. Estimate piping air leakage rates, W, by using Equa- ues are reached.
tions (7), (8) or (9), depending on the pressure: 14. Increase line size when the velocity through a par-
ticular run of pipe exceeds 5,000 ft/min, or 4,000 ft/
W = 0.026 p 0.34 V 0.60 ; 1 p < 10 torr (7) min if noise would be an issue.

In today’s operating environment, it’s

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CHALLENGE CONVENTION

Circle 50 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-50

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 59

 15. Increase line size when pres-
sure drop over entire system
exceeds 10% of the pressure at
the source.
Other design considerations
Piping design. General design of
vacuum system piping closely fol-
lows two main variables: pressure
drop and condensables. Wherever
possible in the design of a vacuum
system, pressure drop is minimized.
Bends in the system should be
kept to a minimum, and all bends
that must be installed should be
long-radius. To account for any liq-
uid that could get into the system,
piping should be slightly sloped to-
ward the receiver tank on both sides
of the system. Drainage should be
provided at any points in the sys-
tem where this favorable slope is
not possible. Pump exhaust should
The general design of vacuum system piping closely
follows two main process variables: pressure drop and
condensables.
be directed outside with as little im-
pediment as possible with insula-
tion to guard against condensation
and a low-point drain valve. As an
additional consideration concern-
ing pumps, two pumps capable of
the entire load are recommended
for critical systems, whereas one or
two pumps designed for a percent-
age of the load is acceptable for
non-critical systems.
As much as generating and main-
taining vacuum is an issue, keeping
unwanted components out, such
as particulate matter and oxygen,
can also be a challenge. Sealing of
piping systems and pump flanges
should be considered to avoid
drawing oxygen into a flammable
mixture, for example, as well as to
minimize pressure drop. Finally, cau-
tion should be given to the materials
of construction, piping thickness
and pressure rating of the system to
avoid caved-in lines.
60
Diversity factor. In the majority of
applications, vacuum is not a utility in
constant demand. A diversity factor
is often used to lower an estimated
flowrate to a more reasonable level.
However, there is a misconception
on how to use a diversity factor that
seems to trouble engineers new to
vacuum design.
A diversity factor is a ratio of the
sum of individual maximum de-
mands of various system subdivi-
sions to the maximum demand
of the whole system. Applying a
diversity factor to a network of
vacuum inlets does not imply that
the flow through each inlet on the
network drops by a certain per-
centage. Instead, it is to illustrate
that the stated percentage of the
inlets have full flow through them at
a given time while the other inlets
are closed. Applying the diversity
factor correctly results in maximum
flow through the sections of vac-
uum pipe where inlets are all open
and zero flow through sections
where inlets are closed, whereas
incorrect application would lead to
undersized pipes.
In addition to applying a diver-
sity factor, flowrate and pressure
drop can be reduced by eliminat-
ing unnecessary valves to reduce
air leakage, raising system vacuum
pressure, or simply eliminating
use-points.
Design for two-pressure delivery.
Delivering vacuum at two different
pressures poses an interesting prob-
lem, and there are a few potential
design options (Figure 9). One op-
tion would be to design the distri-
bution for the lower pressure, and
place regulators downstream of in-
lets that require a lower level of vac-
uum. Although such a system could
be initially perceived as an efficient
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
method of system design, flowrate
downstream would be identical with
or without a regulator, as shown in
Figure 9.
Alternatively, the system can be
designed for the higher pressure,
and booster pumps can be added
to decrease pressure at inlets that
require a higher level of vacuum.
This method would allow for lower
pipe sizes and a less expensive
primary pump; however, it would
require purchase and maintenance
of additional vacuum pumps. A
third option would be to design
two separate systems for the two
vacuum levels. Two separate sys-
tems would require two primary
pumps and oftentimes more pip-
ing, but it may be worthwhile if the
inlets are located at a distance or
volume demanded at each of the
two levels is substantial. n
Edited by Gerald Ondery
References
1. “Vacuum Systems,” Continuing Education from the Ameri-
can Society of Plumbing Engineers, December 2012;
Reprinted with permission from “Plumbing Engineering
Design Handbook,” Vol. 2, American Society of Plumb-
ing Engineers, 2014.
2. Agilent Technologies, Inc., Agilent Rotary Vane Pumps,
DS-102 Rotary Vane Pump Speed Curve, 2015, re-
produced with permission.
3. Herring, Dan, “Oil Sealed Rotary Vane Pumps, Part 1,” Vac
Aero International Inc., 8 February 8, 2016.
4. Curati, Marino, others, Renewable Power with Rotary
Lobe Pumps, Pumps & Systems, April 2013.
5. Walas, Stanley, “Chemical Process Equipment Selection
and Design,” Butterworths, 1988.
6. Emerson, “Vacuum Control,” Technical. Vacuum Regula-
tor Installation Examples.
7. Taken from: Coker, A. K., “Ludwig’s Applied Process
Design for Chemical and Petrochemical Plants,” 4th
ed. Vol. 1, Elsevier, Burlington, Mass., 2007; Original:
Ryans J.L. and Croll, S., Selecting Vacuum Systems,
Chem. Eng., Vol. 88, No. 25, 1981: 72.
Author
Patrick Govoni is a process engi-
neer for DPS (959 Concord St,
Framingham, MA 01701; Phone:
508-861-3773; Email: patrick.
govoni@dpsgroupglobal.com),
which predominantly deals with
design of biotech manufacturing
facilities. He has experience gen-
erating P&IDs and PFDs, specify-
ing equipment and designing util-
ity systems. Prior to work at DPS, he worked as a
manufacturing engineer at DSM and led to over
$200,000/yr in cost savings. Govoni holds a B.S.Ch.E.
from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and is an
active member of the Education Planning Committee
with the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engi-
neering (ISPE).
SEPTEMBER 2017
Water management
special advertising section

CHEMICAL
ENGINEERING
ESSENTIALS FOR CPI PROFESSIONALS
 Water Management 2017 Special Advertising Section
Every plant needs water
Water and wastewater are at the heart of almost every
process, as this Special Advertising Section reflects
MARK MICHAELIS/FLICKR
Wastewater treatment, Hamburg, Germany
F rom the purest water for pharmaceuti-
cal and semiconductor plants to the
most intractable organics-laden wastewa-
ter stream, the effective management and
processing of water are essential to practi-
cally every industry, process, and plant. In
the following pages, this bumper Special
Advertising Section reflects that importance
and diversity. We have essential basic com-
ponents such as fans and static mixers,
pipes and hoses, pumps, valves and actua-
Actuators solve tight space problem
AUMA modular actuators were the answer for a space-
constrained upgrade at a Pittsburgh water treatment plant
T he Allegheny County Sanitary Authority
(ALCOSAN) had problems with manual
valves controlling the flow of raw sewage
into primary treatment tanks at its facility
in Pittsburgh, Pa., U.S. The original 24-inch
(600 mm) gate valves had non-rising stems
whose exposed threads collected debris,
making the valves hard to operate. The so-
lution was to convert the valves to rising-
stem types; at the same time, ALCOSAN
decided to fit electric actuators.
In January 2017, AUMA supplied 72 SA
multi-turn actuators with GK gearboxes,
floor stands, new stainless steel valve
stems and thrust blocks. All the actuators
are equipped with AC controls and Modbus
RTU communications.
The ability to fit into tight spaces was
an important reason why ALCOSAN chose
AUMA actuators. The center of each valve
stem is less than 4 inches (100 mm) from a
concrete block wall. With other suppliers,
ALCOSAN would have had to make signifi-
cant changes to the wall structure to get the
actuators to fit. Thanks to AUMA’s modular
62
First Iranian order
after sanctions
BUTTING supplies piping
components for seawater
Inside:
Acrison 64
AUMA 62
Badger Meter 68
Butting 62
Charles Ross & Son Co. 65
CR Clean Air Group 67
DeWAL 68
Endress+Hauser 66
Flottweg 63
GEMÜ 63
Inline Industries 69
Myron L Co.
Rosedale Products
69
67
These piping components are en route for
the new desalination plant being built at
a large Iranian petrochemical complex
SEEPEX 66
– BUTTING’s first order in that country
The New York Blower Co. 65 after the relaxation of trade sanctions
Yokogawa 64
tors. We have hoppers and conveyors for
treament chemicals, the industry’s largest
O ne of Iran’s leading manufacturers of
petrochemical products is adapting to
increasing demand from the country’s do-
decanter, exhaust scrubbers, instruments mestic market by constructing new central
and control systems. Enjoy the mix. ■ supply units and systems for producing
energy and waste water treatment, notes
German pipework specialist BUTTING.
Water for the entire installation is supplied
in the form of seawater from the neigh-
boring Persian Gulf. The seawater, with a
relatively high salt content of 4%, passes
through a desalination plant to prepare it
for use in the petrochemical complex.
For both wastewater treatment (brackish
water) and the seawater desalination plant,
the operator is purchasing piping compo-
nents from BUTTING. These have nominal
bores from 25 to 400 mm, and are made
from UNS S32750 superduplex as well as TP
316L. The scope of delivery includes several
hundred meters of pipes, elbows, reducers,
flanges and distributors. All circumferential
welds are subjected to a 10% X-ray test, and
all fillet welds must be 100% checked. For
piping components without site welds, the
Thanks to their compact design and specification prescribes a pressure test.
flexible positioning, AUMA actuators BUTTING is one of the leading proces-
fit the narrow space between the sors of stainless steels. The company’s
valve stems and the wall products include corrosion-resistant pipes,
clad pipes, special pipes and components
design, which offers flexible mounting posi- ready for installation, spools and welded
tions, the compact GK multi-turn gearboxes components, vessels, tanks, columns, and
fit neatly into the narrow space. assemblies. Its core competences are in
Price and previous experience were also forming and welding techniques and in ma-
significant factors behind ALCOSAN’s deci- terials engineering. BUTTING products meet
sion. AUMA is the company’s preferred ac- the highest quality standards. Customers all
tuator supplier and there are around 300 over the world use the products of this fami-
AUMA actuators on site. www.auma.com ly-owned company. www.butting.com
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
Water Management 2017 Special Advertising Section

World’s largest 3,000 ×g sludge dewatering centrifuge

At WEFTEC 2017, a century of German engineering from Flottweg supports centrifuge
technologies that are leading the world’s wastewater sludge remediation efforts

F lottweg Inc. has been perfect-

ing centrifuge technol-
ogy for 60 years. At this
year’s WEFTEC exhibition
(Chicago, Ill., October
2–4), the company says
it will prove the validity
of this claim in the form
of the new C8E Decanter.
The company draws
on a century of precision engi-
neering focused on spin, speed and
propulsion, from the earliest biplanes to
the first motorcycles. A spin-off of the com-
pany’s engineering capabilities became the
Bayerische Motoren Werke, more commonly
known today as BMW. “Move quickly” be-
came the company motto.
Over the past 60 years, Flottweg has fo-
cused on advancing centrifuge technology.
A key breakthrough was the company’s in-
vention of the Simp Drive, developed to in-
dependently control the differential speed
between the bowl and scroll of a centrifuge,
accommodating higher speeds and stability
The water
industry’s largest
3,000 ×g decanter:
Flottweg’s C8E
in large centrifuges. This Flottweg concept
has since been adopted throughout the
centrifuge industry.
Another core centrifuge technology, the
Recuvane, literally uses spin to create more
spin. The Recuvane recovers rotational en-
ergy from liquid centrate discharge to mini-
mize the machine’s energy consumption.
This innovation is incorporated into virtually
all municipal wastewater centrifuge applica-
tions today.
A company built on constant invention
and innovation, Flottweg continues to work
to perfect centrifuge technology, refining
scroll design, incorporating adjustable
impellers, developing tougher wear pro-
tection, and other engineering enhance-
ments. Flottweg has also had 60 years
to develop the best service and parts
availability in the centrifuge industry; to
prove this, the company suggests readers
should ask other centrifuge manufacturers
about their in-stock parts availability and
turnaround time on a machine overhaul, be-
fore calling Flottweg.
At this year’s WEFTEC show, CE readers
are invited to visit the Flottweg booth (3416)
to learn how a history of invention, speed
and spin has led to the fastest, most power-
ful wastewater sludge centrifuge decanter
in the industry: the Flottweg C8E Decanter.
Visitors will be able to see the C8E in action,
and to ask the Flottweg team about how the
highest-performing wastewater centrifuge
in the world was engineered.
www.flottweg.com

Plastic diaphragm valves are precise and versatile

GEMÜ plastic diaphragm valves are available in a wide range of configurations that share
the virtues of simplicity, precision, and durability

G EMÜ plastic diaphragm valves are avail-

able with a variety of high-quality plas-
tic body materials and connections. The
phragm valve operates
by pressing the dia-
phragm tightly against
GEMÜ plastic diaphragm valves are ideal
for applications requiring pure media

plastic diaphragm valves support a large
range of industries and applications in-
cluding chemical, environmental systems,
power generation, water treatment, solar,
semiconductor, microelectronics, food and
beverage, and processing – just to name a
few. Many of the plastic diaphragm valves
are supported by an extensive line of pneu-
matic operators that can be fully integrated
into automated systems, allowing indus-
tries to save time and money on their op-
erations, while increasing accuracy and
efficiency in their performance.
The structure and function of the dia-
phragm valve is that of a completely en-
closed connection with a weir and short
intercepting shaft that accommodates the
operation of a movable seal known as the
diaphragm or membrane. This diaphragm
is the essential part of the valve that con-
trols the movement of media through the
system the valve is integrated into. The dia-
the weir, making a fluid- tion, turbulence, debris and trapped air in
tight seal that prevents mind. The GEMÜ plastic diaphragm valve is
flow of the medium. flow-optimized by incorporating a smooth
Alternatively, the media transition structure which promotes
diaphragm is lifted low friction and low turbulence, and
away from the weir leaves no projections or dead spots that
to allow partial to could cause air pockets to form or debris
full flow. Operation to collect within the valve body.
of a diaphragm Additionally, GEMÜ plastic dia-
valve is very phragm valves utilize highly dura-
simple, as is ble, low-maintenance pneumatic
the accom- membrane actuators that give
modation precise flow control even in high-
of various cycle operation.
stages GEMÜ plastic diaphragm valves
of full or also take account of industry needs by
restricted having the same mounting height planes
media flow. over multiple nominal sizes, compact de-
GEMÜ leaves nothing to chance in the sign, low compressed air consumption for
development and manufacture of plastic the pneumatically operated versions, and a
diaphragm valves. The plastic diaphragm variety of optional accessories for measure-
valve is designed with the challenges of fric- ment and control. www.gemu.com

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 63

 Water Management 2017 Special Advertising Section
Bulk silos for high rates
Acrison silo systems use positive flow-
inducing mechanisms for reliable feeding
Acrison silo systems are large
enough to run for weeks or
even months between refills
A crison silo systems uti-
lize positive flow-inducing
mechanisms to ensure consis-
tent and accurate feeding of dry
chemicals into dissolving equip-
ment at high rates.
When a treatment plant is
required to feed a dry chemical
such as hydrated lime or pow-
dered activated carbon at high
rates, it typically isn’t prudent
to have operators devote valu-
able time to frequently reload-
ing a small storage hopper. If
the rates are high enough, even
a super-sac system can require
too-frequent bag changes. An
Acrison bulk storage silo and
feed system, complete with in-
tegral dissolving equipment
and controls, offers an efficient
solution to this problem. Such
systems are custom-designed
for each application, and often
64
sized to store thousands of
cubic feet of material, which
provides weeks, if not months,
of uninterrupted operation be-
fore the silos need to be refilled.
Any silo system can store
dry chemicals. Ensuring reliable
flow out of the silo, into the
metering and dissolving equip-
ment beneath, and then into
the process, is another matter.
Here, Acrison’s over 50 years of
experience in the dry chemical
metering and handling industry
makes a critical difference. By
using proven mechanical de-
signs and control system strat-
egies, an Acrison silo system
ensures positive flow of the
dry chemical into the feeder as
needed, avoiding the issues
typically created by other meth-
ods. Material flows from the silo
into an Acrison rugged-duty,
dissimilar-speed, double- or
triple-auger/agitator metering
mechanism. Here it is condi-
tioned to a consistent state for
reliable metering with accuracy
on the order of ±1–2 percent.
based on weight measurements
at one-minute intervals.
Based on various param-
eters, including the location of
the application point in refer-
ence to the silo, it is also im-
portant to choose the correct
type of dissolving equipment
to ensure a continuous supply
of homogeneous solution to
the process. Most applications
are able to utilize Acrison’s ro-
bust dissolving tank assem-
blies. These use mechanical
agitation to dissolve the chemi-
cal, while an integral dust and
vapor remover ensures a clean,
maintenance-free installation.
Separately, Acrison’s high-ca-
pacity wetting cone system can
be used for most applications
involving powdered activated
carbon. This device employs
wash-down nozzles and an
eductor to create an activated
carbon slurry quickly and effec-
tively, with active dust control.
www.acrison.com
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Think SCADA for water
Yokogawa’s open architecture simplifies
water management system upgrades
Used in conjunction with magnetic flow meters and analyzers
for such properties as conductivity, pH and turbidity, an
all-in-one SCADA solution could be a very cost-effective
addition to a chemical process DCS for water management
I ncreasingly often, chemical
process operators are facing
requirements to update their
control systems in order to
enhance water management,
notes process control specialist
Yokogawa.
Many chemical processes
use distributed control systems
(DCSs). Ideally, spare I/O that
is sufficient for the water man-
agement process is available in
the DCS, but that is often not
the case. Alternatively, the DCS
can be readily expanded with
network I/O. Either way, con-
siderable engineering could be
required to add the water man-
agement process. Is there a
less-expensive alternative?
Although systems that are
dedicated to water and waste-
water control applications are
widely available, integration of
the water operations with the
DCS remains a key issue. As
one operator stated, “install-
ing a PLC in conjunction with
a magnetic flowmeter and an
array of analyzers is the easy
part. However, not only does
the PLC system need to inter-
face with our DCS, it must also
fully support our requirements
in terms of asset management,
cybersecurity, IT and reporting.”
One feasible solution is an
open architecture SCADA add-
on. Formerly applied only to
operations that covered broad
WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
geographical areas, supervisory
control and data acquisition
(SCADA) systems have evolved
to incorporate many new tech-
nologies such as Industrial
Internet of Things (IIoT) archi-
tecture. They can drop into
plant processes just as easily as
pipelines and utilities.
The SCADA solutions offer
multiple, open communications
alternatives such as OPC UA and
a variety of industry-standard
protocols. Like PLCs, which are
very commonly applied through-
out the water and wastewater
treatment industries, SCADA
solutions offer pre-configured
applications that reduce engi-
neering project hours.
Unlike a PLC system, the
SCADA solution supports in-
formation requirements such
as asset management and pre-
dictive maintenance that are
typical in the chemical process
industry, but not as often used
in the water and wastewater
industries. The SCADA solution
includes all the capabilities of a
PLC. In addition, alarm manage-
ment, asset management, histo-
rian, reporting capabilities and
thin-client HMIs are integral.
As an open-architecture
addition to a DCS, a SCADA
solution could be a very cost-
effective alternative for water
management.
yokogawa.com/us
SEPTEMBER 2017
Water Management 2017 Special Advertising Section
Custom-designed fans for heavy-duty applications
The New York Blower Co. designs and builds fans for the
commercial, industrial, and highly specified markets
T he New York Blower Co. (NYB) realizes
that in the heavy industrial market, every
job is unique, and each requires its own
specifications and attention. For this rea-
son, NYB offers a comprehensive range of
customizable options to create the perfect
heavy-duty fan for every job. From chrome
carbide overlays to abrasion-resistant con-
struction, NYB fans are durable and reliable
enough to handle even the most demanding
of applications.
NYB is a world leader in manufactur-
ing premium-quality, engineered fans and
blowers to the industrial marketplace;
fulfilling the need for reliable air move-
ment and timely delivery. The New York
Blower Co. operates fan fabrication plants
in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky and
Illinois. International subsidiaries fabricate
products in Australia, New Zealand, the
Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan. NYB fan
designs provide the highest aerodynamic
efficiencies compatible with specific sys-
tems and gas stream requirements. Durable
fan structures are designed for long life in
Static mixers with low pressure drop
Ross LPD Low Pressure Drop Static Mixers are ideal for effective fluid mixing in water and
wastewater treatment processes
T he Ross Low Pressure Drop (LPD) Static
Mixer enables more efficient dosing
of flocculants, disinfectants, neutralizing
Four or six mixing elements are
usually more than sufficient for
effective mixing under turbulent flow
conditions, Ross says. Diameters
range from 1 in. through 48 in.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
the harshest applications. NYB’s AMCA-
registered laboratory allows for fans to
meet the highest standards in product de-
velopment and product performance test-
ing. All NYB products undergo extensive
air performance, sound and quality assur-
ance testing prior to release to the market.
That’s why for over 125 years, New York
Blower has always had the right answer,
even for the most demanding operations.
The company’s reputation for technical
excellence is fueled by:
• unmatched experience and manufactur-
ing expertise;
• consistent capital investment that results
in the most modern equipment and facili-
ties in the industry; and
• embracing uncompromising product
quality as an everyday, company-wide
commitment.
Durable fan structures are designed for long
life in the harshest and most demanding in-
dustrial applications. Both U.S. Department
of Energy (DOE) and new-build nuclear fa-
cilities use a variety of New York Blower
agents and pH conditioners into a water
stream. This simple-to-install heavy-duty
device completely mixes treatment chemi-
cals within a short length of pipe. When
used in conjunction with automated instru-
mentation, the LPD delivers predictable
quality control based on a virtually mainte-
nance-free operation.
The LPD Static Mixer consists of a series
of baffles or “elements” discriminately posi-
tioned in series. Each element comprises a
pair of semi-elliptical plates set 90 degrees
to each other. The next element is rotated
90 degrees about the central axis with re-
spect to the previous baffle set, and so
on. For even lower pressure drop, an LLPD
model is also available, in which the plates
of each element are oriented at 120 degrees
relative to each other.
As the fluid moves through each LPD
or LLPD element, flow is continuously split
into layers and rotated in alternating clock-
wise and counterclockwise directions.
This method of subdividing the stream
and generating striations leads to highly
SEPTEMBER 2017
NYB designs
fans for optimal
performance in
their intended
applications
fans for containment applications. Gas tur-
bine cooling modules use both axial and
centrifugal designs for turbine ventilation
systems. Quarry trucks and draglines re-
quire cooling fans for their large DC traction
motors. Crushing and grinding phases of
ore processing use many types of NYB fans
in environmental and ventilating systems.
Some ore processing goes into a wet cycle
where spray dryers and particle sizing sys-
tems direct products to chemical and food
industries. New York Blower offers fans for
all of these applications. www.nyb.com
efficient and repeatable mixing with mini-
mal pressure loss. During turbulent flow,
the baffles enhance the random motion
of molecules and the formation of eddies.
In most water and wastewater processes,
four or six elements are more than suf-
ficient to completely disperse treatment
chemicals and create a very uniform solu-
tion or suspension.
Small LPD/LLPD mixers of 1 in. through
2.5 in. in diameter are welded to a central
rod, while larger elements are welded to
four outside support rods for maximum
rigidity and stability. Available in a wide
range of sizes up to 48 in. in diameter, these
mixers can be supplied as pipe inserts or as
complete modules with housing and injec-
tion ports.
In addition to Static Mixers, Ross also
manufactures High Shear Mixers and Multi-
Shaft Mixers used in the production of
water treatment chemicals. The company
offers no-charge mixer testing services and
an extensive trial/rental program.
www.mixers.com
65
 Water Management 2017 Special Advertising Section
Level transmitter eliminates troublesome capillaries
Endress+Hauser’s Deltabar level transmitter eliminated level measurement problems a
customer had with a capillary system
L evel measurements in process or stor-
age tanks are often made with sensors
that measure pressure at the top and bot-
tom of the tank, notes instrumentation
specialist Endress+Hauser. Capillary tubes
or impulse lines connect the high- and low-
pressure sensors to a transmitter that mea-
sures the differential pressure (dP) and
calculates level.
One specific customer had a dP sys-
tem with capillary tubes that was produc-
ing incorrect level measurements. Small
level ranges and ambient temperature fluc-
tuations were causing errors. The small-
diameter impulse lines were clogging from
freezing or contaminants solidifying in the
line. These problems were hard to trace, as
the measurements looked reasonable until
the line clogged completely. Because of the
plant’s location in a northern latitude, the
customer needed a durable and reliable
product to make accurate level measure-
ments during harsh environmental condi-
tions and changing ambient temperatures.
Endress+Hauser supplied Deltabar
Precision progressive cavity pumps for process control
The unique design of a progressive cavity dosing pump has several advantages compared
to traditional metering pumps, due to the simple pumping principle, says SEEPEX
T he environmental industry assumes that
chemical metering pumps must always
be subject to heavy monitoring, frequent
parts replacement, and disposal on a regu-
lar basis. Pumps are expected to pulsate,
allowing a greater opportunity for unstable
flow as operators are forced to over- or
under-feed chemicals. All this causes un-
planned variances, water quality issues,
and increased cost and downtime.
Yet it doesn’t need to be this way.
SEEPEX, a leading provider of progressive
cavity pumps and services, offers NSF/
ANSI 61-certified dosing pumps, the most
popular of its product line. For far too long,
compromises were made to accommodate
traditional chemical metering pumps that
leak, lock up, and have erratic flowrates.
SEEPEX progressive cavity dosing pumps
are the exceptions to these universally ac-
cepted, detrimental norms.
SEEPEX dosing pumps provide several
advantages compared to traditional chemi-
cal metering pumps due to the progressive
cavity pump’s unique design and simple
66
The Endress+Hauser FMD71 uses
electronics, not troublesome capillaries,
to connect the pressure sensors
FMD71 electronic dP level transmitters,
which use two pressure sensor modules,
each connected electronically to a single
transmitter. Using a Ceraphire ceramic sen-
sor in the pressure sensor modules, the
transmitter calculates the differential pres-
pumping principle. A single helical metal
rotor turns inside a double helical elasto-
mer stator, forming compression-fit sealed,
uniform cavities that progress from suction
to discharge. The sealing aids process con-
trol because the flowrate is proportional to
motor speed. This pumping characteristic
provides precise, repeatable metering ca-
pabilities with very minimal pulsation and
no vapor lock. Slip is minimized even
when fluid temperature,
viscosity, or discharge
pressure fluctuates.
Progressive cavity dos-
ing pump users experi-
ence complete accuracy
for process control, haz-
ardous by-product minimiza-
tion and chemical consumption reduction.
Vincent Munn, a County Operations
Manager with 37 years in the field, states,
“I’ve used progressive cavity (PC) pumps of
all sizes for chemical metering, slurries and
sludges. PC pumps provide better stability,
consistent flow and a steady stream. They
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
sure and transmits the level, volume or
mass as a standard two-wire loop-powered
device.
One sensor module measures the hy-
drostatic pressure (HP) and the other one
the head pressure (LP). Each sensor sends
a digital signal to the transmitter corre-
sponding to the temperature-compensated
measured pressure. This electronic system
eliminates issues of traditional differential
pressure measurements by doing away with
impulse lines or capillaries and their related
issues of icing, clogging, leaks, condensa-
tion, and changing ambient temperatures.
The FMD71 offers a standard 4–20 mA
HART capable output. The dP level mea-
surement is the default 4–20 mA signal,
while dP level, head pressure and sensor
temperature can all be assigned as HART
variables. Each sensor in the FMD71 sys-
tem has 0.075% reference accuracy, a maxi-
mum nominal measured pressure of –15
to +600 psig, and a –40°F to 302°F process
temperature capability.
www.us.endress.com/FMD71
Stable, consistent, and minimal pulsation:
advantages of SEEPEX dosing pumps
wear predictably and give the best results
with analytical equipment. I consider my-
self a traditionalist, but I’ve found that what
once worked in the past is always subject
to evolving requirements. SEEPEX helps me
adapt.” www.seepex.com
SEPTEMBER 2017
Water Management 2017 Special Advertising Section
Portable filtration systems are clean and versatile
A portable filter cart with integral pump makes transferring liquid process ingredients,
coolants and cutting fluids easy, clean, and reliable, explains Rosedale Products
F ilter specialist Rosedale Products manu-
factures portable filtration systems for
applications requiring flexibility in opera-
tion. The company’s standard portable fil-
tration cart, with a nominal flowrate of
25 gpm, provides efficient, clean filtration
for batch processing or when transferring
liquids from tanks or drums.
The bag filter features a carbon or stain-
less steel housing rated to 125 psi, with a
compatible filter basket, and O-ring seals
made from Buna N, EPR, or Viton. The hous-
ing accepts large #12 size bags, with a
surface area of 5.6 sq. ft., for greater dirt-
holding capacity. Quick-opening clamp cov-
ers require no special tools and cut time
spent cleaning or replacing bags.
An air-operated double-diaphragm
pump, optionally in polypropylene, con-
nects to the filter housing via a 1-in. NPT
port. Side-entry design prevents contami-
nant bypass around the filter bag, as well as
spills and messes when opening.
The cart has a built-in drip pan, 9-in. air-
filled tires, a compressed air filter/regulator,
These scrubbers tackle a wide range of applications
From odor mitigation to acid gas removal, CR Clean Air has the solution to meet almost any
emission challenge
C R Clean Air has been providing wet
scrubbing systems across a wide array
of process industries for almost 70 years.
From the initial jet venturi fume scrubbers
the company developed in the 1950s to the
fully skidded packages it offers today, CR
Clean Air has always been driven by engi-
neering the best possible solution to meet a
plant’s emission control needs. Experienced
in a wide range of applications, be it odor
mitigation by removing H2S and mercap-
tans, control of acid gases such as HCL
and SO2, and even the removal of fine and
sub-micron particulates from contaminated
vapor streams, CR Clean Air’s depth and
breadth of experience is unmatched. As a
leader in clean air technology, the company
has been at the forefront of dealing with
many complex chemistries and challenging
pollutants, from ethylene oxide mitigation
to NOx emissions.
CR Clean Air has the experience to engi-
neer a system that will work first time, and
the commitment to quality that ensures it
will continue to work for decades to come
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
and 10-ft. inlet/outlet hoses with quick-dis-
connect couplings. Rosedale offers a four-
wheel cart as an option.
The company also makes a special-
ized version of the filter cart for coolants
and metalworking fluids with viscosities of
300 SSU (65 cP) or less that are compatible
with aluminum and steel. The two-wheel
hand-truck system features a bag filter and
a high-flow, industrial-quality centrifugal
pump driven by a 0.5-hp motor. It can pre-
filter and transfer fluids quickly and eco-
nomically from a holding tank to a reservoir
or from drum to tank.
The system is ideal for controlling par-
ticulate problems, Rosedale says, before
they damage critical production equipment.
Most new fluids are unfit for use in hydrau-
lic and lube systems, the company notes,
because contamination enters the fluid
during processing, mixing, handling, and
storage. As a result, solid particulate may
be present in unacceptable levels. Use of
Portable filtration cart a portable filtration unit helps keep fluids
with air-operated pump clean. www.rosedaleproducts.com
– be it a standby scrubber to handle an
emergency release of toxic vapor or an odor
control unit that needs to run 24–7. From
small manually controlled units to large au-
tomated systems with complex instrumenta-
tion and built-in redundancy, the company’s
team of electrical, chemical and mechanical
engineers are able to assist in developing
customized solutions. Offerings are avail-
able in a wide range of materials, both metal
and non-metal, including carbon steel, stain-
less steel, corrosion-resistant alloys, FRP,
polypropylene, PVDF, and dual laminates.
CR Clean Air has systems installed
across a wide range of industries, including
aerospace, chemical, municipal wastewater,
pharmaceutical, and pulp and paper. The
range of pollutants is also as varied, includ-
ing HF, HBR, NH3, silicates, dust and certain
VOCs. CR Clean Air has a range of approach-
es in its arsenal, from once-through water
to chemically scrubbed systems complete
with recirculation. From arsenic to zirconi-
um tetrachloride, CR Clean Air scrubs gases CR Clean Air high-energy venturi
others won’t touch. www.crcleanair.com scrubbers can tackle almost any pollutant
SEPTEMBER 2017 67
 Water Management 2017 Special Advertising Section

Smart actuator optimizes control valve performance

Badger Meter’s new smart electric valve actuator (SEVA) stands up to extreme conditions
while providing exceptional position accuracy

S ince 1905, Badger Meter has been rec-

ognized as a leader in the development
and manufacture of flow management solu-
tions. The company has now unveiled its ad-
vanced SEVA (Smart Electric Valve Actuator)
solution. SEVA employs cutting-edge tech-
nology while providing a cost-competitive
solution. The actuator is designed for
extreme conditions, with military-grade
components, while delivering exceptional
accuracy and repeatability.
The initial SEVA release includes both
100-lb. and 200-lb. thrust models. SEVA
utilizes the Industrial Ethernet Protocol
(EtherNet/IP) and is certified by the Open
DeviceNet Vendors Association (ODVA). It
offers a dual-port Industrial Ethernet card
for customers who demand a higher level of
information in their systems. The actuator
allows for both linear and Device Level Ring
(DLR) ring network topologies.
SEVA provides an exceptional level of
position accuracy (±1% of full scale) with
five available positions when there is a loss
of power: Continue Operations, Full Closed,
Full Open, Hold Position, or
Target Value. The device also
features four positions when
there is a loss of signal: Full
Closed, Full Open, Hold
Position, or Target Value.
Both the Full Closed and
Full Open positions are de-
fined during setup.
In addition, SEVA has an
internally powered (active)
feedback signal, which actively
communicates stroke position to
the control system. Its feedback
sensors are crucial in more precise
applications. SEVA even provides
a manual override capability to
help the operator in loss-of-power
situations.
The SEVA assembly has the op-
tion to include two user-adjustable
limit switch outputs. An external signal is
Badger Meter’s SEVA actuator
(photo) is accurate, yet tough
provided once the set points
of the limit switches are met.
Furthermore, the electric ac-
tuator can split the incom-
ing 4–20 mA signal and use
either the lower or higher
range of the signal for full
stroke operation. A hyper
terminal server makes it
possible to change the type
of split range.
SEVA was specifically de-
signed to minimize the number of
models needed to work with different
electrical demands. Its Universal AC
Input with voltage protection will work
with 115 V AC, 230 V AC and 24 V DC power
supplies. This feature ensures confi-
dence that the actuator will provide a
single source for different process needs.
SEVA can receive analog input signals from
4–20 mA, 0–5 V DC or 0–10 V DC. Lastly, SEVA
has a maximum speed at maximum thrust
of 0.153 in/s (SEVA100) and 0.073 in/s
(SEVA200). www.badgermeter.com

Why hoses are made with UHMW-PE

DeWAL, a specialist producer of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE),
explains why this is the best material for hose linings and coverings in the water industry

A ll kinds of hoses are used in water management. They may be

vertically braided, with rubber or polymer layers between braids.
They may be spiral hoses, with plies laid at different angles. They
may be knitted, with seamless knit jackets covering extruded tubes.
Whatever kind of hose is best for a particular water manage-
ment solution, one special film is preferred: UHMW-PE – ultra-high
molecular weight polyethylene – used for both lining and covering
all kinds of hoses.
UHMW has a number of benefits important in water
management:
• It has a very low coefficient of friction, so water flows easily
through it, reducing energy requirements.
• It has excellent temperature, abrasion and chemical resistance,
so it is durable, despite harsh environments, flexing hoses or
granular liquids. DeWAL manufactures high-performance UHMW films from 3 to 30
• It vulcanizes, chemically bonding directly to rubber or polymers, mil and up to 48 in. wide for lining and covering hoses and belts
eliminating the need for costly or undependable adhesives.
• Importantly, when water management involves food process- are black (DW 406BF) and white (DW 406WF). Custom colors are
ing or potable water, UHMW carbon filler can be Food and available.
Drug Administration compliant as reported by the raw material All UHMW films and tapes, like DeWAL’s many PTFE films and
supplier. tapes, are manufactured in DeWAL’s Narragansett, RI, facilities.
DeWAL, part of the Rogers Corp., has been manufacturing dozens Sales offices are located around the world. DeWAL films and tapes
of high-performance UHMW films and tapes for more than 40 years. are used not only in water management and CPI but in aerospace,
Films can be 3 mil to 30 mil thick, in sheets as narrow as 0.25 in. or automotive, electronics, oil and gas, rubber and plastic, thermal
as wide as 48 in., the widest sheets in the industry. Standard colors spray, and wire and cable. www.dewal.com

68 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017

Water Management 2017 Special Advertising Section
Monitor helps meet your critical water quality needs
Myron L Company’s 900 Series is the reliable, accurate, simple and flexible answer to
water quality monitoring across a wide variety of industries and measurement types
T he world of water quality is downright
complex. Whether the application is
pool management, pharmaceutical manu-
facturing, maintenance of boilers or cooling
towers, food production, brewing, print-
ing, desalination, agriculture, aquaculture,
wastewater management, or any one of
many other industries, water quality can de-
termine success or failure. The water quality
instrumentation relied on by this exacting
and varied array of applications must be
reliable and accurate. It must be simple to
use. It also must be very flexible.
Myron L Co.’s 900 Series Monitor/
Controller is designed to meet exactly those
needs, whether water is an end product, an
ingredient, or a secondary but vital process
component. The instrument can handle a
variety of inputs and measurement types,
and supply several different types of control
and data outputs, all of which can be com-
bined and configured to operate in the most
complex water quality applications.
The 900 Series’ suite of signal inputs
can be configured to display a variety of
Building valve solutions for water treatment
Inline Industries has a proud tradition as a vertical manufacturer, designing and building
a wide range of high-quality valves
I nline Industries is a pioneer in design-
ing and building valve solutions for OEM
equipment manufacturers, water treatment
plant operations and potable water users.
The company has been providing in-
novative valve solutions to the treatment
industry for over 24 years. Offering manual
and automated valve assemblies along with
control ball valves, Inline has built a strong
reputation for manufacturing high-quality,
consistent and reliable products.
Inline has been able to achieve this by
designing and building its own valve prod-
ucts as a vertically integrated manufacturer.
The company investment casts, machines,
assembles and tests each series of valves to
exacting standards.
Valves are cast with ASTM-grade mate-
rials and are designed and tested to ASME
B16.34 specifications to assure buyers that
the product will perform to the pressures
and temperatures for which they are de-
signed. Each casting goes through material
testing and is then heat stamped and docu-
mented through an ISO 9001:2008 qual-
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
measurement types: conductivity, resis-
tivity, salinity, TDS, pH, ORP, temperature,
mV DC, flow, pulse, and % rejection are all
available. The 3.5-in. resistive touch-screen
can show information from up to four differ-
ent inputs simultaneously, each with a dif-
ferent measurement type. Need to precisely
set the cell constant of your conductivity
sensors? Cable length of your sensors an
issue? The 900 Series can handle it.
The 900 Series’ outputs also provide
flexibility. The standard outputs include
a 0–10 V DC recorder output and a single
alarmable relay output. An optional output
card adds more levels of functionality.
A 4–20 mA current loop output makes
the device a de facto transmitter, while an
RS-485 digital data output gives it the abil-
ity to do real data-logging. Need to control
several water tanks interactively based on
conditional criteria, while outputting rel-
evant data to a digital storage device? Two
additional alarmable relays make that pos-
sible. Alarm status is clearly displayed with
attention-getting alerts.
Inline
Industries
334F valve
with
pneumatic
actuator
ity control process to provide consistency
in the product and complete traceability.
Certified Material Test Reports are available
upon request.
Inline offers a wide range of valve styles
including valves with flanged, threaded or
weld ends for process connections, and
compression ends for chemical tubing feed
lines. Inline also offers valves in full port,
standard port, 3-way diverting and multi-
port configurations.
SEPTEMBER 2017
Myron L Company’s 900 Series:
a flexible, high-level performer in
water quality instrumentation
With all these combinations of inputs,
outputs and control relays, it might seem
that the 900 Series would be complex to
operate. Not so: the instrument’s intuitive
graphical user interface makes it simple to
set up and use. www.myronl.com
Inline can provide a variety of valves
certified to meet the rigorous standards of
the National Sanitary Foundation’s NSF 61
specification for use in potable and feed
water applications.
Direct-mount electric and pneumatic
actuators are readily available and can be
supplied with accessories such as limit
switches, positioners, solenoids and other
instruments that may be required. All acces-
sories are factory mounted and tested be-
fore shipment.
At the heart of Inline’s success has been
its ability to deliver. Inline’s headquarters,
located in Rosemead, Calif., houses a mul-
timillion dollar inventory, machine shop,
clean room, automation center and fabrica-
tion facility, enabling the company to ship
over 90% of all orders complete within a
day or two after receipt of an order.
Inline products are made available
through a select channel of highly trained
distributors to help provide customers with
the valve solutions they require.
www.ballvalve.com
69
 2ND ANNUAL

FEBRUARY 2728, 2018

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Hosted by:

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30525
Engineering Practice

Addressing Pumping Issues in

Biopharmaceutical Operations
Quaternary diaphragm pumps deliver the low pulsation and shear that is critical to
these biopharmaceutical and continuous-manufacturing operations
Quattroflow Fluid Systems
Glenn Hiroyasu and
Sueli Roel Backes
Quattroflow Fluid Systems GmbH

B
iopharmaceutical, pharma-
ceutical and nutraceutical
manufacturing may come in
a wide variety of forms, but
every iteration of unit operation must
adhere to an unbending set of op-
erational parameters and structures
if the desired outcome — a viable,
contaminant-free drug suitable for
human or animal administration — is
to be realized. It is all about “con-
trolled fluid transfer.”
Three of the more common unit
operations within the biopharma-
ceutical-manufacturing universe are
chromatography, virus filtration and
tangential flow filtration (TFF). In order
for these unique operations to be im-
plemented successfully, though, the
operator must be aware of their spe-
cific operating characteristics. For
example, chromatography requires
constant fluid flowrates during their
operations, but may have varying
pumping pressures. Virus filtration,
on the other hand, will feature con-
stant pumping pressures, but flow-
rates will change as the filters be-
come clogged or fouled. And in TFF,
the main challenge is attempting to
keep the flowrate and pressure un-
changing throughout the process. All
these characteristics are also funda-
mental for inline blending, a process
commonly used not only in the bio-
pharmaceutical segment, but also in
the chemical, pharmaceutical and
food and beverage industries, where
constant flow and pressure ensure
the quality of the mixture.
While fluid transfer is taking
place in any of these specific unit
operations, it is important to know
that the materials that are being
transferred can be highly sensi-
FIGURE 1. Shown here is a chromatography application utilizing three quaternary diaphragm pumps
(center, right)
tive and delicate (and, in many
cases, expensive), meaning that
the pumping action must be low-
pulsating and low-shear, lest the
material be damaged.
This article examines the mate-
rial-handling challenges pertaining
to flowrate and pressure in chro-
matography, virus filtration, TFF
and inline blending processes, and
illustrates why the design and op-
eration of the quaternary diaphragm
pump — rather than other technol-
ogies, such as the lobe or peristaltic
(hose) pump — make it suitable for
use in critical biopharmaceutical-
manufacturing applications. Addi-
tionally, the article shows how the
quaternary diaphragm pump’s abil-
ity to operate consistently whether
in a fixed stainless-steel production
regime or in the increasingly popu-
lar single-use applications gives it
the versatility to optimize biophar-
maceutical-manufacturing mainte-
nance, downtime, changeover and
operational costs.
The unit operations
Let’s start by taking a closer look
at three of the more popular unit
operations in biopharmaceutical
manufacturing:
Chromatography columns. A
typical chromatography column,
whether it is glass, steel or plastic, is
filled with resins that are compressed
in a certain format through which
the product-containing feedstream
flows and purifies the product by
selective adsorption to a station-
ary phase (resin). Chromatography
columns contain complex target-
product adsorbing media that need
careful handling. Protein A resin,
for example, can cost as much as
$10,000/L, making proper feeding
of the resin extremely important.
Some chromatography systems
require buffer gradients in order to
achieve purification of the proteins.
Buffers are compounds that are im-
mune to changes in their pH level
when limited amounts of acids or
bases are added to them. For exam-

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 71

 DETERMINING FLOW AND PRESSURE PULSATION OF QUATERNARY ple, buffering salts have a wide pH
DIAPHRAGM PUMPS range and can effectively stabilize
Using water at ambient temperature as the medium, pressure and flowrates were recorded the pH level of the material.
for a quaternary diaphragm pump at free flow, 2 bars, 4 bars and 6 bars (29, 58 and 87 psi) Quite often, more than one buffer
pressure and at motor speeds of 250, 1,000 and 2,000 rpm. The measuring frequency was is required, which creates the need
one measuring point per second (1 Hz), and the duration measuring point was approximately to use two or more pumps. In this
five minutes. Figure 2 shows the results that were observed. application, high- and low-salt buf-
The maximum flow pulsation measured by the quaternary diaphragm pump was 13 L/h (3.4 fers are mixed continuously and with
gal/h), which was approximately 1.2% of the average flowrate. Regarding pressure pulsation,
changing ratios in order to affect the
the maximum value was 0.17 bar (2.5 psi), which is 4.2% of the average pressure. These
results indicate that operation of quaternary diaphragm pumps is quite capable of minimiz-
adsorption of the target molecule to
ing harmful pulsation in critical biopharmaceutical-manufacturing and handling applications. the chromatography resin. Because
Quattroflow Fluid Systems
of this, precise pumping is required
1,400 7 to achieve the right pH/conductiv-
A
ity conditions for specific adsorption
1,200 6 and high-resolution purification. For
example, a Buffer A and a Buffer B
1,000 5
can be used to create a gradient

Pressure, barg
Flowrate, L/h

800 4 that ranges from a low-salt buffer to

a high-salt buffer in a linear fashion.
600 3 Specifically, the process will begin
with Buffer A producing 95% of the
400 2
flow and Buffer B the remaining 5%.
200 1
Over the course of the operation, the
flowrates of Buffer A and Buffer B
0 0 will decrease and increase in a linear
0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400
Time, s fashion (90% for A and 10% for B,
— Flowrate — Pressure 75% for A and 25% for B, all the way
to 5% for Buffer A and 95% for Buf-
1,400 B 7 fer B) [1].
This requires a pumping technol-
1,200 6
ogy that can produce a highly ac-
1,000 5
curate flow with a high turndown
ratio that can deliver low and high
Flowrate, L/h

Pressure, barg

800 4 flowrates as the elution stage con-

tinues, and ensure constant flow.
600 3 Pump pulsation should also be
400 2
minimized to prevent disturbance of
the packed column [2]. If the pump
200 1 is not able to meet these require-
ments, the correct buffer concen-
0 0
0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 tration may not be attained. Also,
Time, s
— Flowrate — Pressure
if the pumping action produces
excessive pulsation, the buffers
1,400 7
can be susceptible to experiencing
C
spikes in their conductivity.
1,200 6 This can affect the purification
level of the product, as the salt
1,000 5 level in the buffer could be com-
promised. Also, during the loading
Flowrate, L/h

Pressure, barg

800 4
of the sample, it is not uncommon
600 3 for the system’s backpressure to in-
crease. Pumps that do not slip offer
400 2 benefits in these situations since
their flowrates will remain consistent
200 1
and the linear velocity will remain
0 0 stable. Simply put, a pump with
0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 minimal slip will have a more eas-
Time, s
— Flowrate — Pressure ily controlled flowrate that will need
only incremental adjustments to the
FIGURE 2. These graphs show the flow behavior of a quaternary diaphragm pump as pump’s speed.
at different pressures for three different pump speeds: 250 rpm (a), 1,000 rpm (b) and Virus filtration. In biopharmaceu-
2,000 rpm (c) (see sidebar text for details)
tical manufacturing, virus-filtration
72 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
Quattroflow Fluid Systems
scalability from bench to
manufacturing scale and
vice versa [3]. Spiking
0 studies for virus-filtration
1,20 use a pressure vessel
with a small surface area,
which can be as little as
Flow, L/h
age amount of pressure that is ap-
plied to the membrane). Maintaining
a constant TMP is critical because if
it is too high, it can cause gel-layer
formation that cannot be removed
by recirculation, and if it is too low,
it results in low flux that will reduce

5 cm2 and demand a process efficiency (for more infor-

pump that has low-shear mation on crossflow filtration, see
and low-pulsation opera- “Crossflow Membrane Filtration Es-

6
a rs tion if commercial-scale sentials,” Chem. Eng., April 2017,
b
0

u re, production levels are to pp. 49–59).

ss
Tim
e*, Pre replicate the small-scale Inline blending. Also known as
yr
studies. The use of low- continuous blending or inline mix-
1
5

pulsing pumps in these ing, inline blending systems, as well

n A quaternary diaphragm pump (QDP) at maximum speed (pump is only circumstances can en- as inline buffer dilution, correspond
slightly influenced by pressure and wear over time)
n The same quaternary diaphragm pump at half speed (pump is only slightly sure that pressure con- to a new standard for just-in-time-
influenced by pressure and wear over time; pump is able to match a lobe
pump that slips at maximum speed ditions during validation production and reflect the next step
n Larger traditional lobe pump slips and needs to be oversized of the particular filter are in the evolution of continuous-pro-
n Smaller traditional lobe pump does not have needed flowrange (turn-down)
to meet flow not outside of the vali- duction technology. In this type of
*Note: For applications that experience loss of performance from pump wear.
dated range. process, liquid ingredients are fed
Tangential flow filtra- proportionally to one main stream
FIGURE 3. This graph compares the performance of a quaternary tion (TFF). Also known and are instantly mixed, since they
diaphragm pump with a lobe pump as cross-flow filtration, are being transferred within a com-
in TFF the biologic feed- mon manifold.
systems are used to ensure the vi- stream flows tangentially across the In order to obtain exactly the right
ability and safety of the drugs that filter membrane at positive pres- product, this process requires good
are produced through the removal sure. As it passes across the mem- metering and volumetric efficiency
of potential contaminants from prod- brane, the portion of the feedstream capabilities that can facilitate the
ucts that are created using cell cul- that is smaller than the membrane’s automation of the system. This is
tures. Whereas chromatography pore size passes through the mem- different from batch blending, where
features constant flowrates and brane. This is different from what the product in the tank can be ad-
variable pressures, the operation of is known as normal-flow (NFF), or justed after measurement in the
virus-filtration systems is the oppo- “dead-end,” filtration, in which the laboratory according to the param-
site — most virus-filter applications feed flows entirely through the fil- eters defined in the recipe. When
use constant pressures with variable ter membrane, with the size of the this production is continuous, the
flows. In other words, you may have pores determining which portion of blending is instantaneous and there
to raise and lower the operation’s the feed is allowed to pass through is almost no space or time available
flowrate or speed in order to main- and which will remain trapped in the for corrections.
tain a constant pressure. filter membrane. In this instance, pumps that de-
As mentioned, the flows change TFF is different from NFF in bio- liver low-pulsation flow charac-
as the virus filter becomes clogged. logic applications because the tan- teristics will perform most reliably
Most typical virus-filtration systems gential motion of the fluid across the by decreasing the fluctuation in
run at a constant pressure, for ex- membrane prevents molecules from the variables. So, in considering
ample, 2 bars (29 psi), due to the na- building up a compact gel layer on the functional design of chroma-
ture of the tight pores in the filtering the surface of the membrane. This tography columns, virus-filtration
medium, but the flowrates will de- mode of operation means that a TFF systems, TFF systems and inline
crease as the filter’s pores become process can operate continuously blenders, the common thread in
fouled. When this happens, the with relatively high protein concen- guaranteeing efficient, reliable,
flowrate will not decrease in a linear trations with less fouling or binding cost-effective operation is found in
fashion, which will adversely affect of the filter. identifying and using a pump tech-
the performance of the filter, product To scale up a TFF process, there nology that is capable of produc-
yield and overall quality. are two variables that need to be ing both low-pulsation and low-
Some virus filters have been de- successfully controlled. Recircula- shear operation despite varying
signed with a flux-decay capacity of tion (cross-flow) is required to mini- flowrates and pumping pressures
up to 90% of the starting fluxrate, mize formation of the gel layer and that are accompanied by high vol-
which requires a pump that has pressure as the driving force to push umetric efficiency.
both a high turndown ratio and the permeate through the mem-
produces minimal pulsation in the brane. The recirculation rate needs The challenge
pumped fluid. Evaluation of viral to work in conjunction with the pres- With these operational requirements
clearance strategies requires dem- sure (known as the trans-membrane in mind, over the years, various pump
onstration of the equivalence of pressure, or TMP, which is the aver- technologies have been tested and

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 73

 Quattroflow Fluid Systems
FIGURE 4. Among the advantages of using a single-use quaternary diaphragm pump, such as the one
shown here, is the ability to use one pump head for one production campaign. At the conclusion of the
production campaign, the pump chamber that has come in contact with the fluids is disposed of
used for chromatography, virus filtra-
tion, TFF processes and inline blend-
ing. Two that are among the more
popular choices when positive dis-
placement is required are lobe and
peristaltic pumps. Both, however,
have been found to feature opera-
tional inefficiencies that may make
them insufficient for use in the pro-
cesses described earlier.
Lobe pumps. Since many biophar-
maceutical materials are contained
in a low-viscosity aqueous solution,
lobe pumps may not be a good
choice because slippage can occur
during their operation. Slippage
can vary between 10% to 100%,
depending on the system’s back-
pressure. Slip will also result in in-
creased shear damage and energy
consumption, and if used in a long-
duration recirculation loop, such as
a TFF filtration system, there can
be noticeable heat addition to the
product, which can require signifi-
cant cooling efforts to protect the
product from overheating.
Lobe pumps also have mechani-
cal seals, which can result in a con-
trolled product leak and do not pro-
vide full containment unless special
(and oftentimes expensive) seals
and seal barriers are used. The
74
sterility required in biopharmaceu-
tical handling also means that no
outside contaminants can be intro-
duced into the purification process,
which is something that pumps
with mechanical seals cannot reli-
ably ensure.
Additionally, the necessary con-
tact between a lobe pump’s inter-
nal parts can lead to wear and the
generation of particles that can result
in product contamination. Solid par-
ticulate matter, such as undissolved
salt crystals, can cause severe dam-
age to the lobes, resulting in dam-
age to the entire manufacturing
batch. Lobe pumps may ultimately
cost more to operate because of the
increase in power required to over-
come the pump’s slippage.
Peristaltic (hose) pumps. The main
shortcoming of peristaltic pumps is
also the most obvious: their method
of operation will undoubtedly pro-
duce pulsation, and, as noted, pul-
sation is undesirable in biopharma-
ceutical manufacturing. Peristaltic
pumps also have limited flow and
pressure-handling abilities. For ex-
ample, they cannot reliably produce
the higher discharge pressures (such
as 4 bars, or 58 psi) that are required
in some fluid-handling applications.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
They are also known to release
some small quantity of hose mate-
rial — in a process known as “spall-
ing” — into the pumped product,
which can compromise its purity. If
the spalled hose material makes its
way to the filter, it can foul the filter,
making its operation less efficient
than it need to be, and will also lead
to contamination. Also, inconsis-
tency of flowrate will result due to
mechanical deformation of the hose
during the pumping process. In the
end, the shortcomings of lobe and
peristaltic pumps come down to two
main factors:
• If there is shear, which is common
in lobe pumps, you will damage
the pumped material
• If there is pulsation, an operational
certainty with peristaltic pumps,
you won’t have even flow, and
without even flow, you won’t have
accurate flow
A solution
An effective solution to the opera-
tional shortcomings of lobe and peri-
staltic pumps can be the quaternary
diaphragm pump.
The operating principle of the
quaternary diaphragm pump most
closely resembles the operation
of the human heart, because the
four-piston diaphragm technology
enables a gentle pumping action
through soft “heartbeats.” This action
produces four overlapping pumping
strokes of the pistons that efficiently
reduce pulsation, since each stroke
of the four diaphragms is generated
by an eccentric shaft that is con-
nected to an electric motor.
The quaternary diaphragm
pump’s method of operation allows
it to gently, safely and securely con-
vey low-viscosity aqueous solutions
and biopharmaceutical materials
that are highly sensitive to shear
forces and pulsation while being
pumped. Since the four-piston de-
sign of the pump does not require
any mechanical seals or wetted ro-
tating parts, total product contain-
ment is ensured without any abra-
sion or generation of particulate
matter. The pump’s method of op-
eration also produces risk-free dry-
running and self-priming capabilities
with high turndown ratios. A pump
technology with high turndown ra-
tios allows for the creation of a
WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
broad flow range, which makes the
pump applicable for utilization in a
wide range of process applications.
With regard to specific unit opera-
tions, quaternary diaphragm pumps
can be used to pack chromatog-
raphy columns and then pump the
biopharmaceutical material through
the column, both of which are critical
concerns that require low pulsation
with accurate and constant flow-
rates and pressures. In TFF applica-
tions, quaternary diaphragm pumps
deliver the consistent flow control
that is essential in producing optimal
filtrate yields.
When speaking about blending,
this technology facilitates systems
automation due to its significant vol-
umetric efficiency, while it also offers
high turndown capabilities that grant
flexibility in handling formulations
that require a wide range of possible
ingredient input flows.
Single-use pumps
In today’s evolving manufacturing
processes, quaternary diaphragm
pumps are also rapidly becoming a
first-choice technology in increas-
ingly popular single-use produc-
tion setups. Basically, a single-use
pump enables biopharmaceuti-
cal manufacturers to eliminate the
cost of cleaning and validating their
pumps by using a pump with a re-
placeable pump head. The result
is not only a quicker production
process, but one that delivers pre-
ferred levels of product purity and
sterility with no chance for cross-
batch or cross-product contamina-
tion (Figure 4).
The following are some additional
advantages that can be realized
when quaternary diaphragm single-
use pumps are used:
• Quaternary diaphragm pumps (sin-
gle-use) can be used for one prod-
uct or in one production campaign
• At the conclusion of the produc-
tion campaign, the pump chamber
that has come in contact with the
fluids is disposed of
• Can be used for a set amount of
time before the wetted parts are
replaced, which eliminates ele-
vated maintenance costs
• If the operator needs to use a
stainless-steel pump, the plas-
tic pumping chamber can be re-
placed with a stainless-steel one
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
• If there’s a pump failure, the old
chamber can be taken out and
replaced with a new one in five
minutes
• Used when cleaning in place
(CIP) or steam sterilization is not
practical or possible. This rep-
resents a significant simplifica-
tion and cost reduction to the
overall process, as there are no
contaminated cleaning chemical
PROVEN
and water solutions that need to
be treated and disposed of. The
PERFORMANCE
costs to properly treat and dis-
pose of the cleaning fluids can
alone be the driver to require use
of single-use alternatives
Of course, not every pump tech- ROTOFORM
nology is completely perfect for GRANULATION
every characteristic of a specific
fluid-handling application. In this
FOR PETROCHEMICALS
instance, the design and operation AND OLEOCHEMICALS
of the quaternary diaphragm pump
limits it to handling fluids that have
a maximum viscosity of 1,000 cen-
tipoise (cP) and that contains partic-
ulates up to 0.1 mm in diameter. n
Edited by Gerald Ondrey
References
1. Pall Corp., www.pall.com/main/biopharmaceuticals/
product.page?id=33058 High productivity solidi cation of
2. Hagel, L., Jagschies, G., and Sofer, G., “Handbook of products as di erent as resins, hot
Process Chromatography: Development, Manufacturing, melts, waxes, fat chemicals and
Validation and Economics,” Academic Press, Elsevier, caprolactam has made Rotoform® the
1997.
granulation system of choice for
3. Aranha, H. and Forbes, S., Viral Clearance Strategies for chemical processors the world over.
Biopharmaceutical Safety, Pharmaceutical Technology,
June 2001. Whatever your solidi cation
requirements, choose Rotoform for
reliable, proven performance and a
Authors premium quality end product.
Glenn Hiroyasu is the Americas Development Manager
for Quattroflow Fluid Systems GmbH, a brand of Almatec
Maschinenbau GmbH (Carl-Friedrich-Gauß-Straße 5,  High productivity –
47475 Kamp-Lintfort, Germany; Phone: +49-2842- on-stream factor of 96%
961-0; fax: +49-2842-961-40), which is a product  Proven Rotoform technology
brand of PSG (1815 S. Meyers Road, Oakbrook Terrace, nearly 2000 systems installed
IL, 60181; Phone: +1-630-487-2240; Fax; +1-630-
in 30+ years
487-2250; Email: glenn.hiroyasu@psgdover.com), a
Dover company. Hiroyasu has 28 years of experience  Complete process lines or
in filtration and downstream processing, and has held retro t of existing equipment
sales, marketing and applications positions with Pall,  Global service / spare parts supply
Smartflow and Sartorius Corp. He holds a B.S. in biology
and a B.S. in management and human resources from
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Sueli Roel Backes is business
development manager, EMEA Hy-
gienic segment at PSG and Alme-
tec Maschinenbau GmbH (Carl- Sandvik Process Systems
Friedrich-Gauß-Straße 5, 47475 Division of Sandvik Materials Technology Deutschland GmbH
Salierstr. 35, 70736 Fellbach, Germany
Kamp-Lintfort, Germany; Phone: Tel: +49 711 5105-0 · Fax: +49 711 5105-152
+49-2842-961-0; Fax: +49- info.spsde@sandvik.com
2842-961-40; Email: sueli.roel@ www.processsystems.sandvik.com
psgdover.com). Roel Backes has
over 25 years of experience in the Nuremberg
hygienic market, starting with filling lines at Krones AG, 26-28 September
then process systems at Van der Molen GmbH, and now Visit us at Powtech Hall 4A-107
pumps with PSG. She holds an M.B.A. degree from
FOM University of Applied Science (Munich, Germany).
Circle 44 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-44
SEPTEMBER 2017 75
 Environmental Manager
Spill Containment:
An Often-Overlooked Hazard in Research
With proper planning, spills can be managed properly and the risk of secondary
events — which may be more dangerous and costly — can be reduced
Richard Palluzi
Richard P Palluzi LLC
S
pills are probably one of the
biggest problems any labo-
ratory or pilot plant opera-
tion faces. While spills are
often cited as a potential hazard, the
actual mitigation steps are often very
generic and ineffective, reflecting the
often cursory nature of the hazard
analysis and risk assessment in this
area. After all, spills happen and just
need to be cleaned up.
Spills — defined here as an un-
controlled release of liquids or solids
into the operating space — are very
common, due to accidents that hap-
pen during transportation, material
transfer, maintenance, equipment
failure and human error. Spills may
involve hazardous or non-hazard-
ous materials. Hazardous materi-
als (those harmful to people or the
environment due to their flammabil-
ity, toxicity or corrosivity) are clearly
the most dangerous. However, even
spills of non-hazardous materi-
als can create operating problems,
damage equipment, and cost time
and money to clean up.
Fortunately most spills in laborato-
ries and pilot plants are minor — due
to the relatively small volume of ma-
terials being handled — and just re-
quire some cleaning activities. How-
ever, some have resulted in fire and
explosions, leading to both person-
nel injury and significant equipment
and facilities damage. So more than
cursory attention is warranted to
minimize the risk of an unanticipated
hazard (Figures 1 and 2).
Whenever possible, spill protection
should be provided for all equipment
and operations. This can range from
permanent, expensive protection,
such as dikes and berms for tanks,
to simple pans, pails and trays for
smaller equipment. The key require-
76
ment is the same in all
cases — the spill pro-
tection must be large
enough to contain
the maximum prob-
able spill.
For a batch sys-
tem, this is generally
straightforward. The
volume of the larg-
est single component
(tank, reactor, sample
cylinder, piping and
so on) must be con-
tained. However,
splashing and fluid
impulse (waves) that
can occur when a liq-
uid is released from its
containment requires FIGURE 1. The plastic spill-containment basin shown here will not
additional volume to withstand even a small fire
be included in the spill-containment
vessel, to prevent transient effects
from overflowing the containment
vessel. Typical industry guidelines
suggest this volume must be in-
creased by at least 10%. The higher
the distance the spill may fall, the
greater the velocity it will attain, and
thus, the higher the containment vol-
ume necessary.
The closer the spill-containment
vessel is to the source, the more mo-
mentum it will still have and again,
the higher the containment.
Neither of these scenarios is sub-
ject to easy analysis, but the author’s
experience with small systems sug-
gests that sizing spill-containment
vessels with excess capacity that is
more on the order of 20–30% may
be required for research-size labora-
tory and pilot systems. Paradoxically,
smaller laboratory systems often re-
quire up to 50% extra volume.
Splashing from the added height is
a definite issue and can result in sig- FIGURE 2. Without effective spill containment in
nificant amounts being cast outside place, any spills that might result from these ves-
sels would likely fall to the floor and potentially
the planned containment system. find an ignition source in the vacuum pump and
The amount of splashing or flow- more fuel in the solvent container located nearby
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017

FIGURE 3. Shown here is an example of residual spill material remaining near a pilot plant pump. While
trivial in itself, it does raise the potential for a fire to spread. One wonders if a simple drip pan could have
eliminated the concern
ing over is important in determin-
ing safety. A few drops are unlikely
to cause any issues. A few hundred
cubic centimeters might be enough
to find an ignition source or may
pose a threat to personnel. A few
liters is clearly an uncontained spill
(Figure 3).
For a continuous system, design-
Circle 33 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-33
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
ing an appropriate spill-containment
system becomes much more dif-
ficult. Either the spill containment
must be sized for the total system’s
volume — usually a physical or finan-
cial impossibility — or an appropriate
alarm must be provided. Small labo-
ratory systems may be able to cap-
ture the entire system’s contents, but
SEPTEMBER 2017
even moderately sized pilot plants
can begin to make this difficult or
impossible. In these cases, the con-
tainment must be large enough to
let the system or the operators
respond effectively.
In the author’s experience, the
time required for this response is
often badly underestimated, particu-
larly for manual responses. For this
reason, automatic interlocks should
be provided to rapidly shut down the
source of the leak or spill, and any
attendant dependent operations,
immediately upon detection of a
release. All too often, operators are
temporarily absent or distracted, or
fail to immediately recognize the prob-
lem and take effective action quickly
enough, which leads to a larger spill.
Systems that run unattended or off
hours are particularly prone to major
releases before the problem is dis-
covered and corrected. Passing
personnel and security guards can
find it difficult to detect a spill until it
has become so significant as to be
blatantly obvious.
It is important to recognize that
77

FIGURE 4. Shown here is an installation that relies on the laboratory hood for spill containment. The haz-
ard analysis that had been carried out here was shortsighted, in that it only focused on the relatively low
flowrates presented by the small volume of fluid, rather than on a potential incident that could result in
an entire bottle breaking, releasing its contents
utility feed streams, often overlooked
as non-hazardous, can also be the
source of very expensive spills, as
they effectively present a potentially
unlimited supply in the event of a
breach. For instance, water, chilled
water, oil, steam and similar systems
can produce large releases in the
event of a leak or component failure.
Laboratory hoses that feed hood
units, hoses and plastic piping
that feed laboratory or pilot plant
equipment, and booster pumps
(or, more accurately, their seals) on
similar pilot plant systems, are all
potential sources of major
spills (Figure 4).
Similarly, laboratories on higher
floors of a building are potentially at
risk of causing major flood-related
damage to equipment and facilities
on lower floors. NFPA 45 Fire Protec-
tion for Laboratories Using Chemi-
cals requires that all floor openings
be sealed to prevent spills from
spreading. Most building codes re-
quire similar measures but their focus
tends to be on minimizing the spread
of smoke or fire, not necessarily
fluid spills.
NFPA 45 is careful to note that the
spill protection must be compatible
with the chemicals involved; if the
containment system can be weak-
ened or attacked after an exposure
to the fluids in question, it must be
repaired or replaced immediately.
Sadly, most laboratories this author
has seen over the past 40 years
have had at least some areas that
do not meet these criteria.
Unsealed or compromised pen-
etrations between or behind labo-
ratory benches go unnoticed.
Modifications requiring floor or wall

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78 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
penetrations over time fail to be their position if required. Sadly, it is sources within the frame without
sealed or, at least, sealed effectively often easy for a spill container to be evaluating the effect on the existing
enough. Age and normal wear and slightly moved and not be noticeable spill containment. Problems can in-
tear result in compromised seals. although rendered significantly less clude the addition of other potential
In general, almost any large spill in effective. The best approach is to sources, which could require more
a laboratory setting tends to find its design a restraint or frame into which containment. Examples include new
way to lower floors and adjacent the container fits so that it cannot be equipment or sources of a potential
spaces unless the organization has moved out of place but can be lifted release that are placed too close to
an effective inspection and mainte- or slid out for emptying if necessary. the edge of the containment, leading
nance program in place — which is Permanent spill protection is prone to the potential for the momentum
rare (Figures 5 and 6). to being rendered less effective by of the release carrying the spill over
Many laboratories that handle only modifications that often move major the containment, or new equipment
small amounts of hazardous materi-
als fail to recognize that a break in
a cooling hose to a glass heat ex-
changer in a laboratory hood could
lead to several hundred gallons of
water cascading down to lower
floors overnight. The response
time for guard tours off hours and
even passing personnel during on
hours is almost routinely grossly
overestimated. Perfection is
First the person must recognize
the problem, then contact an in-
Better Dispersion and Control
dividual capable of taking action
or at least knowing what action to
take. That individual must locate the
source and determine how to safely
shut it off. Rarely does this sequence
take less than 15–30 minutes (often
it takes longer). Aside from the ob-
vious damage from the spilled
liquid, there is also the potential
for electrical shock if the liquid
is conductive.

Retain the spill safely

The spill-containment device or sys-
tem must be able to withstand the
normal wear, tear and abuse of daily
operations and still be viable when
required. It is common to see light-
weight pans and even permanent
rails or sides in place, but badly dam- Perfecting Particle Size
aged by routine traffic and noticeable The Sturtevant Micronizer® jet mill reduces the
bows, bends or crushed sections. particle size of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides,
Dikes and similar structures are often insecticides and dry chemicals to narrow particle
cracked. All may have unsealed pen- size distributions of 0.25 microns or larger without
etrations, penetrations with compro- heat buildup.
mised seals (for instance, seals that
are cracked, oversized, crumbling Better control properties - dispersion & reactivity
and so on) that will compromise their Particle-on-particle impact, no heat generation
effectiveness. Simple design, easy to clean
Portable spill protection (such as
Abrasion resistant for long life
trays, pans, buckets and spill pal-
lets) is subject to being bumped, 348 Circuit Street Hanover, MA 02339
moved or nudged out of its proper Phone: 800.992.0209 • Fax: 781.829.6515 • sales@sturtevantinc.com
position due to routine operations
and, more commonly, maintenance
or modifications. Hence, the use
www.sturtevantinc.com
of portable systems should require
routine inspection and adjustment in Circle 47 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-47

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 79


FIGURE 5. Laboratory settings typically have multiple sources of spills and nearby ignition sources, so
relying on the hood alone for spill containment is usually not sufficient
or sources that are located higher off
grade, creating more kinetic energy
to allow a spill to flow up and over
the containment.
In some cases, modifications
may extend past the spill contain-
ment altogether. Hence, all such
modifications should be reviewed for
their effect on the spill containment
and should be part of the organi-
zation’s management of change
(MOC) process.
Maintenance often requires the
removal of spill containment or at
least parts of it. Yet, the potential for
spills is often higher during mainte-
nance-related activities. Hence the
maintenance-activity plan should as-
sess what temporary spill-protection
measures are required.
The capacity and location of the
spill-containment system also needs
to evaluate the distance a leak or
pressurized release could travel.
Spill containment to capture a small
slop stream running down the side
of a drum or container usually does
not need to be much bigger than the
container. But spill containment for
a small hole in a drum or a broken
beaker can shoot out under head
pressure and flow a much longer
horizontal distance.
Plan for what happens next
For potentially flammable and com-
80
bustible products, this requires that
the spill containment be able to
withstand a fire since this is always
a possibility. Hence glass and plas-
tic containers, soft-soldered trays,
and similar low-melting temperature
components are not suitable for lab-
oratory operations. A contained fire
is a hazard but an uncontained fire is
always a major hazard.
Portable spill containment needs
to be stable, so that when it is being
filled or filling it cannot shift and re-
sult in liquid escaping. It must also
be able to safely hold any debris
that may be coincident with the spill,
such as broken glassware or parts of
a failed seal.
The work surfaces inside labora-
FIGURE 7. The spill containment on the left meets almost all the requirements for effectiveness, although
it still requires manual clean up with a rag or absorbent pad. The area on the right, unfortunately lacks
sufficient protection
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
FIGURE 6. Even a well-designed pilot plant bay
with floor drains will often have residual materi-
als that could ignite near potential leaks and spill
sources. If well maintained, as in this example, the
residual risk should be minor
tory hoods are required to be fabri-
cated so as to have some spill con-
tainment (for instance, in the form of
a depression in the work surface, or
by sealing around the edges to cre-
ate a lip), in accordance with both
industry standards and NFPA 45.
However, many do not provide viable
containment. Too often, the hoods
were purchased without appropri-
ate spill-containment capabilities, or
were installed so that the contain-
ment is ineffective, or the existing
containment has become compro-
mised over time due to the loss of
sealant, or scrapes, gouges or simi-
lar damage. Relying on a hood to
contain a spill from equipment inside
its interior, unless carefully tested in
advance, is ill advised.
Absorbent pads, mats and tempo-
rary berms are valuable spill-contain-
ment tools. However, their capacity
is limited so a careful assessment
of their ultimate effectiveness for the
duration of the spill is required. Too
often, this author has seen almost
WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
total reliance on these inexpensive
and easy measures which, upon
analysis, can be shown to only pro-
vide limited mitigation, usually due
to larger volumes of extended re-
sponse periods. They are also often
too easy to damage, leave gaps, or
move and not be replaced during
normal operations (Figure 7).
Plan for safe final cleaning
Even simple laboratory pans and
trays need to be selected and placed
so that they can safely and easily be
removed for emptying or arrange-
ments can be made to allow cleaning
in place. Larger trays and pans are
often cumbersome, bulky and easily
tipped when moving. The author has
seen numerous trays, pans and con-
tainers that only transfer the spill from
the source to an adjacent area due
to difficulties in removal and handling.
As the spill containers get larger
in size and volumes they become
exponentially harder to handle or
difficult to lift safely. Hence, prudent
analysis may suggest that they need
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to be evaluated in terms of how they
will ultimately be safely drained —
even if this adds cost and complex-
ity to the system design. In many
cases, particularly on pilot plants or
larger laboratory units, this may not
prove feasible.
When this is the case, the hazard
analysis and risk assessment should
address any hazards of residual materi-
als or difficulty in cleaning. At the very
least, thought should be given to pro-
viding handles or similar means to allow
personnel to lift and grasp the pan, tray
or container safely. The potential weight
FIGURE 8. Shown here is an example of a spill
it must carry should be evaluated and that can easily leak through the unsealed hole
this often requires a stiffer or heaver around the drain beside it
pan to prevent it bowing or folding dur-
ing movement when filled. and care in their selection or design
Trying to empty a pan or tray with- to provide them. Otherwise pouring
out a spout of similar directional out the contents frequently becomes
pouring mechanism makes it more a spill-producing activity itself.
difficult and often results in second- Permanent spill containment around
ary spills. Smaller trays can often use pilot plants and support installations,
their square corners as these direc- such as tanks, requires a design that
tional means to empty the collected allows for easy cleaning. This usually
liquids. However, larger trays and means trying to design the contain-
pans often require some thought ment with a slope to a low spot or
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 sump that will allow collected fluids to giving the spill enough kinetic en-
be vacuumed or pumped out. Com- ergy to splash out or flow over the
mon assumptions that the operators containment sides)
can easily sweep the liquid to a collec- • Failure to consider how the resul-
tion point are almost always spurious tant spill, and debris can safely be
and result in significant residual spillage separated and drained to a safe
remaining after cleaning. At best this location
is a housekeeping problem; at worst,
it can create a standing unsafe con- Review housekeeping efforts
dition. Many “portable” trays around Housekeeping procedures are an
pumps or small tanks fall into this integral and critical part of proper
category, because to actually remove spill containment. Any spill of flam-
them requires removing the equip- mable and combustible materials
ment first, something rarely ever done can lead to a fire. If the fire is con-
in practice. tained, it can be extinguished more
Many laboratory spill-containment easily and with fewer consequences
installations fail badly on this point. than if it is uncontained. In addition,
For example, providing a larger pan a spill of a flammable or combus-
to hold a hot plate or stirrer plus tible liquid, if it reaches other com-
the contents of the container being bustible sources, can easily grow
heated or stirred is common and much larger. This means that a spill
often the only practical approach. — or even a splashing — that ig-
However, a large number of these in- nites may be able to reach squeeze
stallations will prove to be ineffective bottles of solvents, spare flammable
due to lack of proper analysis such or combustible chemicals, papers,
as the following: lab notebooks, towels, or any of the
• Failure to account for the volume other inevitable paraphernalia in a
of the equipment, which leads to laboratory, causing the initial small
overflowing fire to quickly grow into a large and
• Failure to recognize that the spill, dangerous conflagration. The au-
usually due to container failure thor once saw a 500-ft2 laboratory
(breakage) or upset (human error), effectively burned out from a spill of
will almost always result in the spill only several hundred cubic centime-
being splashed outside the con- ters of flammable liquids due to very
tainer poor housekeeping and a failure to
• Failure to realize the container is recognize the numerous other “fuel”
too close to the sides of the con- sources on nearby benches.
tainment (leading to the liquid mo- Poor housekeeping on a pilot
mentum causing the spill to splash plant (FIgure 8), particularly in terms
over) or too high above the spill of cleaning up all the residual ma-
containment (leading to the height terials from past spills, is critical in
preventing a small flash-type
fire that can easily damage
other components and lead
to a larger release (either spills
or leakage). Similarly, keeping
adjacent areas clear of other
fuel sources, such as spare
solvents, containers of feed
or products, combustible ma-
terials and more, is also im-
portant in all cases, to make
sure a fire stays localized and
does not spread. The spill pan
in a laboratory hood with the
spare bottle of solvent right
next to it rarely contains the
secondary fire.
Providing spill containment
FIGURE 9. A risk assessment of this area would need to for an entire area, such as a
address the consequences of a smaller spill leading to a laboratory or pilot plant bay, is
larger conflagration. While appropriately electrically clas-
sified to minimize the potential for ignition sources, the a common technique. Although
addition of a spill containment system on each shelf might initially expensive to provide,
significantly lower the consequences of any potential spill
82 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
it is often viewed as a low-mainte-
nance, easy way to minimize the risk
associated with potential spills. This
is often not the case. To be safe and
effective, a few key guidelines should
be followed:
• The hazard analysis and risk as-
sessment must evaluate the ef-
fects of any spill on all adjacent
equipment and operations. At the
least, it should evaluate the effect
of a small fire spreading to numer-
ous other fuel sources. This is
more probable if the area does not
have an electrical classification as
Class I Division 1 or 2 or Zone 0, 1
or 2 (Figure 9)
• The construction of the area must
address the need for sloping to
the floor drains, if provided, or
to a sump or similar low point for
collection and ultimate removal of
captured fluids. Often floor drains
are poorly installed so that they ei-
ther stand “proud” of the floor (that
is, they stick up above the floor
slightly), which makes drainage
impossible. Or they are oplaced in
small shallow depressions, which,
in the event of a spill, would only
provide drainage for a few inches
beneath the drain. Many floor areas
are essentially level or they slope
slightly (and often imperceptibly to
the eye) in several different direc-
tions, making it difficult to deter-
mine in advance where the spill will
flow. If the area does not have floor
drains, then consideration must be
given to where the liquid will flow.
If it flows under benches, hoods,
and fixed equipment then cleaning
will be difficult and probably poorly
done leading to residual risk
• If floor drains are provided, they
must drain to a safe location that
can contain the spills and allow
them to be transferred safely for
proper disposal. Several common
problems are often associated with
these systems. For instance, a
failure to provide adequate alarms
allows them to overflow (usually
due to an accumulation of numer-
ous relatively trivial spills over time,
or one larger spill that was bigger
than originally envisioned). Similarly,
placing a holding tank in a regular
municipal sewer line and assuming
that it can be isolated and taken off
line before any contaminants es-
cape is rarely a failsafe approach.
The spill-reporting time may be lon-
SEPTEMBER 2017

FIGURE 10. Note the modifications extending out-
side the spill containment
ger than expected, the spill may go
unreported, other non-hazardous
drainage may sweep the tank con-
stantly leading to contamination, or
a similar issues may arise. Finally,
providing a complex treatment or
separation system that requires
frequent maintenance and care
can lead to frequent failure when
it is forgotten or at least often ne-
glected for a time.
Spills can also occur due to leak-
age from fittings, seals, gaskets and
similar components. And they may
arise due to normal operations that
provide frequent repetitive oppor-
tunities for small, individually trivial
spills to arise, as these can collec-
tively accumulate over time to even-
tually reach critical levels. Situations
in which this scenario can arise in-
clude: baths where containers or
samples are frequently removed and
often drip nearby; sampling where
residual materials may continue to
flow for a moment after completion;
emptying containers into hazardous-
waste cans for ultimate disposal
with the attendant routine drips,
splashes and trivial spills, emptying
or filling smaller containers into or
out of larger ones for ease of use
or process needs with similar con-
sequences; and other repetitive or
routine operations.
Such occurrences can often make
areas around these operations less
safe, due to residual materials in-
creasing the risk of a fire spread-
ing, increasing the risk of personnel
contact with toxic materials, or at
least creating increased slipping and
tripping hazards. In many cases,
some local spill containment may
be prudent to both restrict the area
into which these minor spills could
spread and make cleanup easier.
This extra local containment is often
much larger than the minor spills re-
quired to allow for a longer interval
between cleaning or to address the
potential for a larger-than-normal
spill (Figure 10). Conversely, it may
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
occasionally be much smaller than and evaluate are the hazards we usu-
might be required in the event of a ally mitigate effectively; the hazards we
larger spill (such as a person drop- overlook or consider trivial are usually
ping the container to be emptied). the hazards that come back to create
The potential for requiring a larger the accident. n
spill containment, to account for Edited by Suzanne Shelley
human error, should always be eval-
uated. For instance, the possibility Author
of dropping a container that is being Richard P. Palluzi, P.E., CSP, of
transferred from a bath to the bench Richard P Palluzi LLC (72 Summit
Dr., Basking Ridge, NJ 07920;
next to it, overfilling a waste can Email: rpalluzi@verizon.net;
or smaller container, dropping the Phone: 908-285-3782) is a con-
larger container, and similar human sultant to the pilot plant and labo-
errors should be assessed. ratory research community on
safety, design and research proj-
It is not always possible, nor is it al- ect management. He retired as a
ways necessary, to provide spill con- Distinguished Engineering Associ-
tainment around every potential source ate after almost 40 years at ExxonMobil Research and
Engineering, where he was involved in the design, con-
in a laboratory or on a pilot plant. How- struction, and support of pilot plants and laboratories for
ever, the hazard analysis and risk as- ExxonMobil’s research site in Clinton, N.J., as well as
sessment should make sure to look at affiliates worldwide. Palluzi is the author of two books,
and numerous articles and presentations. He is a past
the potential hazards from leaks and chair of the AIChE Pilot Plant Committee, ExxonMobil’s
spills carefully — perhaps more care- Pilot Plant and Laboratory Safety Standards Committee,
fully than it has been done historically and ExxonMobil’s Safe Operation Team for their Clinton
— to make sure that they do not cre- Facility. He is on the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) NFPA-45 Fire Protection for Laboratories Using
ate unrecognized and unacceptable Chemicals and NFPA-55 Industrial and Medical Gases
risks, or that providing spill protection committees. Palluzi also teaches several courses for
of perhaps a different type might not the University of Wisconsin’s Dept. of Engineering Pro-
fessional Development. He has B.E. and M.E. degrees
help to further reduce an already low in chemical engineering from Stevens Institute
risk with minimal cost and operability of Technology.
impacts. The hazards we recognize
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SEPTEMBER 2017 83
 Show Preview
B
ulk solids experts, process
technicians, engineers and
plant operators from all over
the world will gather in Nurem-
berg for Powtech 2017 (September
26–28; www.powtech.de). Around
900 exhibitors in six exhibition halls will
be presenting their latest equipment
and systems for the whole gamut of
mechanical processing technology
and for the analysis and handling of
powder and bulk solids. A new fea-
ture in 2017 will be the special display
area “Pharma Solids” for concentrated
pharmaceutical expertise in Hall 3A.
Sandvik Process Systems Two forums will offer ongoing pre-
sentations and workshops on issues
affecting the industry. Bulk solids
practitioners will gather at the expert
forum in Hall 2, where they can ex-
perience best practice examples by
leading manufacturers and users in
the form of compact presentations.
Users involved in the pharmaceutical
sector will find themselves at home
in the “Pharma.Manufacturing.Excel-
lence” forum in Hall 3A and will come
away with useful tips on how to meet
Dynamic Air the challenges facing them.
A sample of some new products
being exhibited at Powtech are pre-
sented below.
Pastillation-system solutions for
hot melts, resins and more
Exhibiting under an umbrella mes-
sage of “Go further, explore more
possibilities,” this solidification-sys-
tems manufacturer will launch its
brand new ThermoCut system, de-
livering increased productivity and a
better-quality end product with high-
viscosity melts. The system works by
blasting a narrow jet of high-pressure,
heated air at the precise place where
the drops are formed between the
Rotoform and steel belt (photo). This
Gebr. Lödige Maschinenbau
powerful blade of hot air cuts the
threads before they have chance to
develop further. As well as delivering a
more stable production process with
perfectly formed pastilles, the use of
ThermoCut equipment also results in
a substantial reduction in the need to
clean the machine. The company is
also showcasing its specialized Roto-
form 4G sc system, purposely de-
signed for the pastillation of subcool-
ing melts. Other themes will be the
84 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
high-capacity solidification achiev-
able using steel cooling belts up to
2 m wide, and the ability to deliver
systems compliant with GMP (Good
Manufacturing Practice) standards.
Hall 4A, Stand 107 — Sandvik Pro-
cess Systems, ZN der Sandvik Mate-
rials Technology Deutschland GmbH,
Fellbach, Germany
www.processsystems.sandvik.com
A variety of solids-handling
equipment presented here
At Powtech, this manufacturer will
be exhibiting an operating pneumatic
conveying system, as well as the Bella
twin-shaft mixer and vibratory equip-
ment. The company manufactures a
complete line of dense- and dilute-
phase vacuum and pressure pneu-
matic-conveying systems, process
equipment and vibratory equipment
for handling a wide variety of dry bulk
granular materials. A fully operational
dense-phase pneumatic conveying
system will be on display, along with
the Bella XN double-shafted mixer in
304 stainless steel food-grade design.
This mixer provides a high-quality
blend in an extremely short mixing
time. Also on display will be its line
of vibratory equipment, including the
Stedi-Flo vibratory pan feeder and the
GYRO EX bin-activating feeder and
discharger (photo), which produces a
controlled gyratory motion to positively
withdraw granular materials from bins,
storage silos and hoppers at any de-
sired feedrate for a consistent and reli-
able discharge. Hall 3, Stand 204 —
Dynamic Air Ltd., Milton Keynes, U.K.
www.dynamicair.com
This tablet coater now has
a new design
The LC series of coaters (photo),
specially conceived for coating tab-
lets, has been the subject of exten-
sive redesign. For example, a newly
configured airflow now provides a sig-
nificant boost in efficiency and avail-
ability of the machines. In contrast
to the previous forced air feed via an
intake boot, the air to the LC series
of coaters flows through an air-injec-
tion manifold over a large circumfer-
ence of the coater drum in the direc-
tion of the tablet bed. This enables
even, largely turbulence-free entry of
SEPTEMBER 2017
a large volume of drying air into the
drum. The innovative concept ensures
a high drying capacity and hence high
spraying rates. The undesirable effect
of spray drying, resulting in spraying
losses during coating, is effectively
prevented. Advanced sensors also fa-
cilitate optimization of the spraying and
drying process, and simple and safe
adjustment of the nozzle arm makes
handling easier. Hall 1, Stand 517 —
Gebr. Lödige Maschinenbau GmbH,
Paderborn, Germany
www.loedige.de
Packaging film that enables quick,
easy opening without tools
This company’s stretch-film packag-
ing system, the Stretch Hood A, can
be used in a variety of different indus-
tries. The system can now be supplied
with a newly developed, easy open-
ing hood, which enables employees
in retail stores and logistics centers
to quickly and easily remove the film
when unpacking or repacking the
goods, without the use of any cutting
tools. To achieve this, the company
partnered with a well-known film sup-
plier to develop a technology that al-
lows users to open the film along a
precise tear line in the center (photo),
without affecting the safety function of
the stretch hood. The user can open
the film quickly and easily, with no tools
required. This considerably increases
unpacking productivity. Hall 1, Stand
627 — Beumer Group GmbH & Co.
KG, Beckum, Germany
www.beumergroup.com Realtime process monitoring
These packing systems continue
to get cleaner and smarter
The newly developed packing system of
the Roto-Packer, Integra and Elemen-
tra families is said to have outstanding
features when it comes to cleanliness,
intelligence and profitability. In particu-
lar, the new Roto-Lock dosing unit de-
livers clean filling, reliable performance,
intuitive operation and energy saving
function. The company is keeping pace
with the market demands for modular
and future-oriented solutions for the
complete process: from stocking to fill-
ing and loading. By using the Quattro
System Monitoring (photo), companies
are better secured against long down-
times and high maintenance costs. The
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
automatic recording of all machine data Beumer Group
saves time and provides reliable infor-
mation that otherwise would not be
assured by manual input. Using these
precise data, the performance of the
systems can be compared and com-
prehensively optimized — even when
packing at multiple locations. Hall 1,
Stand 535 — Haver & Boecker oHG,
Oelde, Germany
www.haverboecker.com
Filtering iron and stainless steel
from powders and bulk goods
The continuous cleaning Cleanflow
magnet (photo) removes both iron and
stainless steel from powders and bulk
goods, and achieves capacities of up
to 200 m.t./h. The system is suitable
for installation in ATEX zone 20/22 and
can be cleaned without stopping the
product flow. It can be installed directly
below the sieve or even just before the
loading/packing point. The Cleanflow
magnet is easy to integrate into exist- Haver & Boecker
ing production processes. In addition
to preventing damage claims, magnets
protect machines from seizure due to
iron contamination and resulting expen-
sive production standstills. The magnet
has been developed for applications
such as those found in the sugar indus-
try, and can remove the very smallest
particles (down to 10 µm) from the final
phase of the production process. Hall
2, Stand 450 — Goudsmit Magnetics
B.V., Waalre, the Netherlands
www.goudsmitmagnets.com
Goudsmit Magnetics .
and rheology measurements
At Powtech, this company will be dem-
onstrating pioneering new technology
for in-line, realtime process monitor-
ing via an exclusive partnership with
Lenterra Inc., manufacturers of opti-
cal flow sensor technology. Lenterra’s
Drag Force Flow (DFF) and Wall Shear
Stress (RealShear) probes (photo)
provide continuous, realtime data, via
optical fibers, enabling users to as-
sess processes and make decisions Freeman Technology
without the need to interrupt opera-
tions. The company will also present
the FT4 Powder Rheometer, a unique
and comprehensive powder tester that
uses patented dynamic methodology,
automated shear cells (in accordance
with ASTM D7891) and a series of bulk
SEPTEMBER 2017 85
 amixon property tests to quantify powder be-
havior in terms of flow and process-
ability. This is complemented by the
new Uniaxial Powder Tester, which
provides an accurate and repeatable
measure of the uniaxial unconfined
yield strength (uUYS) of a powder to
assess and rank flowability. Hall 4,
Stand 547 — Freeman Technology
Ltd., Tewkesbury, U.K.
www.freemantech.co.uk
A conical mixer for particularly
fast batch changes
This company’s new mixing system
(photo) features helical mixing tools
that, despite low rotational speeds,
achieve ideal mixing qualities within
just 20 to 60 s. A rotationally symmetri-
cal closing element lowers a few centi-
meters and allows complete discharge
within a few seconds. This makes it
possible to homogenize large volumet-
ric flows with small mixers. The system
has a compact, space-saving design,
is hygienic with regard to regular wet
cleaning, enables gastight execution
(suitable for over-pressure operation)
and is in conformity with ATEX stan-
dards. Hall 4A, Stand 304 — amixon
GmbH, Paderborn, Germany
www.amixon.com
Dinnissen Process Technology
Reducing failure costs
using virtual reality
This company will be demonstrat-
ing its virtual reality (VR) application
at Powtech. A small group of engi-
neers is currently working with VR in
a research phase. “By applying virtual
reality, we let the customer experi-
ence the new system without it being
constructed. The customer sees ex-
actly what they can expect,” says the
company. Because the customer can
walk virtually through the installation
together with this company’s engineer
in the “real environment,” they can al-
Posi-flate ready anticipate in the design phase
what they will encounter in the realiza-
tion phase, creating a more complete
picture (photo). Bottlenecks become
visible even before construction takes
place, whereby commissioning times
are also shortened. This means that
a new plant will produce faster, thus
yielding revenues. Maintenance train-
ing can also already be done before
the installation is finished. Future-ori-
Messer Group ented maintenance will be the next
86 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
phase, for which VR offers something
extra. That will be the next step, possi-
bly supplemented with augmented re-
ality, says the company. Hall 4, Stand
371 — Dinnissen Process Technol-
ogy, Sevenum, the Netherlands
www.dinnissen.nl
These butterfly valves have
inflatable seats
This company is exhibiting a heavy-
duty inflatable-seated butterfly valve
operating next to a typical resilient-
seated valve to demonstrate how
quickly a resilient-seated valve can
wear in comparison to the air-oper-
ated valve. The inflatable seat design
provides a better seal by utilizing air
pressure to expand the seat against
the disc, providing more sealing area
and an even pressure distribution
against the disc every time. The seat
automatically compensates for wear
when it inflates against the disc, ex-
tending valve life considerably. The
Series 585/586 inflatable-seated
butterfly valve (photo) is designed for
the most severe applications. The
heavy-duty seat has been designed
for higher operating pressures and
temperatures. The valve is ideally
suited for very abrasive materials
such as sand, feldspar, flyash and
most other dry, granular materials,
which can reduce valve life. Hall 3,
Stand 301. — Posi-flate, Milton
Keynes, U.K.
www.posiflate.com
Cold grinding, recycling and
flash freezing with cryogenics
With this company’s cold-grinding and
flash-freezing techniques, it is possible
for a wide range of different materials
to be finely ground or recycled by using
cryogenic gases, such as N2 or CO2.
Materials such as thermoplastics,
elastomers, waxes and paint additives
can be handled, as well as spices,
which would otherwise lose their fla-
vors due to the high temperatures in
grinding processes. Furthermore, bulk
solids and pourable food products can
be flash-frozen in paddle screws using
cryogenic gases to extend their shelf
life or improve their quality. This appli-
cation is said to be less expensive and
more efficient than conventional tech-
niques. During the cryogenic grinding
process (photo), the materials to be
SEPTEMBER 2017
ground are cooled with liquid N2 or
CO2 to make them brittle resulting in
a particularly fine grain. This allows
composite materials to be separated
into their individual components in a
cost-effective and environmentally
friendly manner. Hall 4A, Stand 531.
— Messer Group GmbH, Bad Soden/
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
www.messergroup.com
A new twist on fiber feeding
for recycling
Manufacturing carbon-fiber panels
can generate a great deal of waste,
which then requires disposal. Shred-
ding these panels produces flakes
and fibers that, when mixed together,
make feeding extremely difficult. Most
natural fibers have similar flow char-
acteristics and difficulty feeding when
used as a renewable raw material to
reinforce plastics. Similar to carbon
fibers, natural fibers mechanically in-
terlock, often resulting in the forma-
tion of product bridges and starving
of the feed screw. The new FiberX-
pert (photo) helps to solve this prob-
Brabender Technologie lem because system requires GEA Group
it can feed a little space in the
large range oftechnical center
and, thanks to its
long fibers. Fi-
berXpert can design, reliably
be used with afulfills even the
wide range of most demanding
very differenttechnical tasks,
says the manu-
materials, as it
has many op- facturer. Combined with technolo-
gies, such as the high-pressure Pan-
tional features.
Other applications include the recy- daPlus 2000 homogenizer, it belongs
cling of polypropylene (PP) and poly-to this company’s portfolio of bio-
pharmaceutical manufacturing lines
ethylene terephthalate (PET) flakes or
other shredded materials. Here, the and equipment. The Pathfinder GMP
is exceptionally easy to operate. The
intermediate recycling step of re-pel-
centrifuge delivers a force of 20,000
letizing can be eliminated if the flakes
can be fed directly into the manufac-g, enabling reliable separation of the
turing process. Hall 4, Stand 237 — finest particles, even with slight den-
Brabender Technologie GmbH & Co. sity differences. Three bowl sizes
KG, Duisburg, Germany are available for flowrates of 15–300
www.brabender-technologie.com L/h. All parts that come into contact
with the product are made of high-
A compact centrifuge skid for alloy stainless steel, 316L or better,
pharma pilot testing with surface finish of 0.8 μm. Hall 3A,
The new Pathfinder GMP (photo) is a Stand 312 — GEA Group AG, Düs-
GMP-certified centrifuge skid pharma seldorf, Germany
test centers and pilot plants. The www.gea.com

STOP USING TAPERED PINS

Using hammer-in tapered pins in applications

above 200 PsiG (14 BarG) puts onsite safety,
surrounding equipment and operating time at
risk as they may eject during service when
units are pressurized.

Pop-A-Plug® Heat Exchanger Tube Plugging System

Pop-A-Plug Tube Plugs are pressure rated up to 7000 PsiG (483 BarG) and conform to ASME PCC-2-2015
recommended tube plugging repair methods, offering a permanent mechanical solution to safely seal leaking
heat exchanger tubes without welding or hot work. Installation takes only minutes, providing superior
reliability for critical processes. Full material traceability documentation available.

Maximize uptime by visiting cw-estgroup.com/ce09 today! EST Group

Circle 20 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-20

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 87

 Romaco Group This laboratory-scale processor
has reduced batch times
The laboratory-scale version of the
Innojet Ventilus V 2.5 (photo) is used
for granulating, drying and coating
particle sizes from 10 µm to 2 mm.
Due to its special design and en-
hanced processing efficiency, the
Ventilus V 2.5 allows up to 25%
shorter batch times, says the com-
pany. The homogeneous flow condi-
tions inside the cylindrical product
container enable extremely gentle
intermixing of the batch. The pro-
cess air is controlled by the Orbiter
booster, which is a unique container
bottom consisting of overlapping cir-
cular plates. Together with the Roto-
jet, the central bottom spray nozzle,
the Orbiter booster forms an innova-
tive functional unit that meets all the
requirements for linear scaleups. The
airflow bed technology ensures ac-
curate control of the product move-
ment and equally precise application
of the spray liquids. The resulting for-
Atlas Copco Kompressoren und Drucklufttechnik mulations can achieve the required
release profile with between 10 and
15% less spray liquid. Hall 3, Stand
327. — The Romaco Group, Karl-
sruhe, Germany
www.romaco.com
A new vacuum system for
conveying bulk solids
Among other products, this com-
pany will exhibit its new DZM series,
a dry-running multi-claw vacuum
pump system (photo), which is par-
ticularly suitable for the conveyance
of bulk material. It is characterized by
low-noise operation, as well as user-
friendly plug-and-play installation.
The DZM pumps achieve a pumping
speed of up to 1,260 m³/h and can
also be used as a central vacuum
supply for handling tasks or extrusion
processes. Since the claw-shaped
rotors in the pump chamber, which
rotate in opposite directions, neither
touch each other nor the chamber
wall, the vacuum pumps are very
durable and reliable. The DZM mod-
els combine two to four DZM claw
vacuum pumps in a compact hous-
ing, depending on the required de-
livery capacity. The pumps operate
oil-free and air-cooled and also in
Kaeser Kompressoren harsh environments with little main-
88 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
tenance. One of the pumps, which
can be combined for one DZM, op-
erates in a speed-controlled manner,
so that the generated vacuum can
be adapted exactly to the require-
ments. This efficiency improvement
reduces the necessary power and
therefore the energy consumption
and CO2 emissions. A final pressure
of up to 140 mbar is achievable.
Hall 4, Stand 357. — Atlas Copco
Kompressoren und Drucklufttechnik
GmbH, Essen, Germany
www.atlascopco.com
Reduce blower’s energy costs
with this air controller
The Sigma Air Manager 4.0 master
controller, which previously revolu-
tionized the rotary screw-compres-
sor segment, is now also available
for blowers. The SAM 4.0 (photo)
benefits from “Industrie 4.0” services
and forms the heart of this com-
pany’s blower stations. This central
controller acts intelligently to control
the individual machines for optimal
efficiency and adjusts their flowrate
accurately to the overall flowrate
demand profile. The SAM 4.0 ana-
lyzes operating data in a matter of
seconds, simulates alternative man-
agement scenarios and selects the
most efficient option. These pow-
erful capabilities can only be har-
nessed when the components of a
station deliver consistently efficient
performance, which is what users
can expect from the DBS, EBS and
FBS screw blower series. Compared
to conventional rotary blowers, the
new screw blowers are up to 35%
more efficient, while also offering sig-
nificant double-digit energy advan-
tages over many commonly available
screw and turbo blowers on the mar-
ket, says the company. Hall 4, Stand
236 — Kaeser Kompressoren SE,
Coburg, Germany
www.kaeser.com
Pre- and fine grinding in
a single instrument
The variable-speed rotor mill Pulveri-
sette 14 premium line (photo, p. 89)
offers impact, shearing and cutting
comminution in one instrument. Its
powerful motor is ideal for the par-
ticularly fast comminution of soft to
SEPTEMBER 2017
medium-hard, brittle and fibrous ma-
terials, as well as temperature-sensi-
tive samples with an extremely fast
sample throughput of up to 15 L/h,
depending on the material and pa-
rameter settings. Features include:
grinding speeds up to 22,000 rpm;
AutoLock grinding chamber for safe
operation; final fineness down to d50
< 40 μm; efficient cooling of material;
and ease of cleaning. Hall 2, Stand
227. — Fritsch GmbH, Idar-Ober-
stein, Germany
www.fritsch.de
An add-on module that cushions
forces from bursting disc
Targo-Vent (photo) is an opening
angle limiter developed especially
for bursting discs that guides the
pressure relief specifically into areas,
in which there is no danger for the
adjoining infrastructure. Targo-Vent
dynamically and progressively cush-
ions the bursting disc situated be-
neath it, and can therefore also as-
similate large kinetic forces resiliently.
Circle 43 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-43
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
The damper absorbs the enormous Fritsch
repulsive forces of the explosion
energy and guides the flames and
shock wave in the desired direction.
Depending on what is required, the
flames and shockwave are diverted
at a defined angle of approximately
30 to 45 deg upwards or to the side.
Facility operators can therefore mini-
mize the safety areas around the
vent opening. The top module is
made in all the typical bursting disc
sizes, so that retrofitting in existing
units can be undertaken without a
problem. The system is made from
maintenance-free stainless-steel
materials and, in combination with
the company’s bursting discs and
pressure relief panels, is type-tested
in accordance with the ATEX Direc-
tive 94/9/EC (ATEX 114) and au-
thorized in accordance with FSA
13 (ATEX 1637). Hall 3, Stand 244.
— Rembe GmbH Safety + Control,
Rembe
Brilon, Germany
www.rembe.de n
Gerald Ondrey
SEPTEMBER 2017 89
 Show Preview
F
rom September 30 to Octo-
ber 4, the Water Environment
Federation (Alexandria, Va.;
www.wef.org), will host the
Weftec 2017 Conference and Exhibi-
tion (www.weftec.org) at McCormick
Place in Chicago, Ill. Focused on all
aspects of water treatment and con-
servation, this year’s event will feature
more than 900 exhibitors and a com-
prehensive technical program with
emphasis on a wide range of areas,
including: membrane technologies;
odor and air emissions; residuals and
biosolids; laboratory practices; and
more. The following presents a selec-
Rotork Controls
tion of the products that will be show-
cased at Weftec’s exhibit hall.
These valve actuators
provide flexibility
The CK range of modular electric
valve actuators (photo) is designed
to meet diverse actuation applica-
tions in the water-treatment industry.
The design provides configurability
of stock components to meet user
needs. Maximum multi-turn output
Assmann Corp. of America torque is 10,800 Nm and part-turn
output is 205,600 Nm. Options and
features range from a basic actua-
tor requiring separate motor con-
trols to more sophisticated versions
equipped with an integral digital
control unit that combines intelligent
control and data-logging with inte-
gration to distributed control sys-
tems (DCS) using hardwired, analog
or digital control. Booth 6944 —
Rotork Controls Inc., Rochester, N.Y.
GF Piping Systems
www.rotork.com
Double-walled tanks prevent
spills and keep debris out
This company’s line of double-wall
tanks (photo) includes sizes from 20
to 8,850 gal and eliminates chemi-
cal spills without the expense of lined
concrete containment. A heavier-top
sidewall and dome prevent dome col-
lapse, while a primary inner tank and
a secondary locked-on outer tank
ensures against chemical spills. The
inner tank dome also overlaps the
outer tank sidewall to help prevent
rainwater, snow and debris from en-
tering secondary containment, mak-
ing these systems ideal for outdoor
Krohne storage of chemicals. Double-wall
90 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
tanks also help prevent cross-con-
tamination, and eliminate possible
dangers of co-mingling of reactive
chemicals. Linear polyethylene tanks
are certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 61
for potable water, and the high-den-
sity crosslink resin tanks are certified
by NSF for chemical storage. Booth
5041 — Assmann Corp. of America,
Garrett, Ind.
www.assmann-usa.com
A double-containment piping
system with easier installation
The Double-See Vinyl double-con-
tainment piping system (photo) is a
pressure-rated system with a primary
(inner) and secondary (outer) pipe de-
signed for safely transporting hazard-
ous liquids. Both primary and second-
ary pipes are cut to the same length
and can be joined simultaneously,
which saves time with installation and
prevents potential mistakes caused
by staggered pipe-cut measurement
errors, according to the manufacturer.
Double-See is available in both poly-
vinyl chloride (PVC) and chlorinated
PVC; either material may be primary
or secondary, with clear PVC always
an option for the containment pipe.
The system provides a complete se-
lection of pipes, fittings, leak detection
and access tees, closure couplings
and termination fittings. Other fea-
tures include a 3-D thermal-expan-
sion compensation centralizer, and
a valve-in-valve design that provides
full pressure rating in the containment
piping. Booth 4052 — GF Piping Sys-
tems Inc., Irvine, Calif.
www.gfps.com
A new flowmeter for
biogas applications
This company has introduced the
new biogas-handling version of its
Optisonic 7300 ultrasonic flowmeter
(photo), which is suitable for methane-
gas applications in wastewater-treat-
ment facilities. The two-beam flowme-
ter is now Class 1, Div. 1 approved,
and provides repeatable measure-
ments over a wide bi-directional flow
range of ± 30 m/s with 1% accuracy.
The standard model uses titanium for
optimized signal processing in chal-
lenging applications. Stainless-steel
transducers are available on request.
SEPTEMBER 2017
The Optisonic 7300 biogas flowmeter
features a maintenance-free full-bore
flow sensor with no moving parts
and robust construction with no ex-
posed cables. The converter features
a variety of measurement diagnos-
tics and available methane content
output. Booth 916 — Krohne Inc.,
Peabody, Mass.
www.us.krohne.com
Heavy-duty pumps for
sludge and abrasive media
Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group
Bredel heavy-duty sludge pumps
(photo) are designed for centrifuge
and belt-press feed. They have
only one wearing part — the hose
— so there are no rotors, stators or
lobes to replace, and no mechani-
cal seals or packing to leak. Bredel
pumps can handle flows as high as
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
475 gal/min with suction lift to 30 ft, Phoenix Contact
and they are dry-running and revers-
ible. The pumps are also suitable
for applications that require pro-
cessing abrasive materials. Bredel
hose pumps do not require ancil-
laries, such as degassing valves or
backpressure valves, to operate,
which lowers overall costs, says the
manufacturer. Booth 3116 — Wat-
son-Marlow Fluid Technology Group can issue alarms and notifications
(WMFTG), Falmouth, U.K. via email or text message. Existing
www.watson-marlow.com systems can be seamlessly inte-
grated so that data can be recorded
Monitor water-treatment and evaluated. The data are subse-
systems via cloud computing quently collected and can be stored
The cloud-based Eaglei technology or transmitted to a control system.
(photo) reduces the time and effort The integrated mobile interface en-
required for onsite inspection of de- ables communication with the vir-
centralized water and wastewater tual control system via a private
treatment systems. The solution mobile network. This ensures that
is accessible via web browser, en- data manipulation and unauthor-
suring that it is possible to access ized access from outside the net-
system data from anywhere. The work is impossible. Booth 7918 —
status of the system can be viewed Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG,
remotely, and the set parameters Blomberg, Germany
can be edited via tablet, smartphone www.phoenixcontact.com ■
or laptop. At the same time, Eaglei Mary Page Bailey
Circle 34 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-34
WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 91
 Duo 11 ATEX – the new magnetically
coupled rotary vane pump
The Duo 11 ATEX rotary vane pump, which meets ATEX directive
2014/34/EU, was brought to the market by Pfeiffer Vacuum for
processes taking place in potentially explosive atmospheres or
conveying explosive gases and vapors. As such, it satisies the
most stringent explosion protection requirements.
The ATEX certiication applies for both the interior and exterior of
the pump. The Duo 11 ATEX is classiied as equipment category
3G and temperature class T4. It can convey all gases up to and
including explosion group IIC. The pumping speed is 9 m³/h at 50
Hz and 10.5 m³/h at 60 Hz. The Duo 11 ATEX is equipped with a
frictionless magnetic coupling.

Pfei er Vacuum GmbH

https://www.pfeiffer-vacuum.com

Circle 01 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-01

Versatile Diverter Valve for Pneumatic

Conveying Applications
The precision machined PT45 diverter valve is designed to pro-
vide line switching for either dilute or dense phase conveying. As
a two-way valve the PT45 can operate as a 1 to 2 way diverting
valve or a 2 to 1 way converging valve in a pneumatic conveying
system for powdered or granular materials.
The PT45 features a tunnel that rotates 45˚ port to port, which provides
easy positioning of the tunnel to the diverter ports or the straight-
through ports. A hard anodized aluminum housing provides excellent
wear resistance.

Schenck Process
www.schenckprocess.com/us

Circle 02 on p. 102 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-02

92 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017

Europe
special advertising section

Berndorf Band Group

Beumer Group
Bungartz
Buss-SMS-Canzler
C.D.R. Pompe
Ekato
GEA Group
Italvaccuum
Jacob
Plast-O-Matic Valves
Pompetravaini
Sandvik CHEMICAL
Siemens ENGINEERING
ESSENTIALS FOR CPI PROFESSIONALS
 Europe 2017 Special Advertising Section

Top-quality pump and compressor packages

Pompetravaini has created a new company, FuturEng, to design and supply skid-mounted
pump and compressor systems for industries including oil, gas, and nuclear

M odest in size yet proudly international in its outlook, Italian

company Pompetravaini has been in business since 1929.
Throughout its almost 90 years, the company has specialized in
pumps and compressors for gases and liquids. These equipment
items always require motors, piping, valves and instrumentation
to carry out their roles within process plants, so it was natural that
Pompetravaini should add rotating equipment packages to its core
business of pumps and compressors. In fact, the company started
producing industrial skids at the beginning of the 1960s, always de-
signing these to customers’ specific requests.
Within the last decade, after acquiring Pompetravaini-NSB and
Pompetravaini-BORA, Pompetravaini has grown its activity in skid-
mounted equipment. This now covers fully engineered packages for
the oil, gas, nuclear, and aerospace sectors, representing the most
advanced levels of technology and engineering.
To better support these new challenges, in 2014 Pompetravaini
created a new company named FuturEng. This is a team made up
purely of engineers and project managers, with solid experience
in plant design and focused on rotating equipment. The industry- FuturEng is dedicated to engineering excellence
specific skills of the FuturEng engineers combine with the de-
cades of knowledge of pumps and compressors to be found within every year. They range from small to huge, and from simple to the
Pompetravaini – one of the world’s oldest companies to continue in most complex designs for the oil, gas, and nuclear industries –
its original line of business in pumps and compressors. with all the necessary inspection, testing, and documentation. At
Today, the Pompetravaini Group produces skids in Italy, the Pompetravaini, a commitment to stay ahead is not just an empty
U.S., Canada and Switzerland, delivering over 1,000 packages slogan. It is the company’s creed. www.pompetravaini.com

State-of-the-art efficiency in powder separation

Featuring an improved design fine-tuned through CFD, the Cyclone Extra Efficiency is a
leap forward in cyclone performance, claims GEA

B ased on extensive computational fluid

dynamics modeling of a well-known yet
complex unit operation, GEA has developed
the CEE (Cyclone Extra Efficiency) for food,
dairy, chemical and pharmaceutical applica-
tions. Improved cyclone performance and
the resulting higher separation efficiency
increase yield, reduce emissions, and have
the potential to reduce the complexity of
spray drying plants by minimizing the num-
ber of powder separation unit operations.
The new cyclone design is currently under-
going large-scale tests in industrial spray
drying plants.
The CEE is taller and slimmer than its
predecessor. It features an improved scroll
inlet and an optimized powder outlet. These
features support the formation of a strong
and robust vortex that facilitates separa-
tion. In addition, optimized positioning of
clean-in-place (CIP) nozzles and a reinforced
vortex finder provide reliable performance
under industrial conditions.
In real-life tests the powder separation
efficiency of the CEE was verified as being
The tall, slim design of the CEE cyclone
improves separation efficiency
considerably higher than that of standard
cyclones. All comparisons were made with
the same pressure loss over the units. The
efficiency was tested for a range of particle
sizes and cyclone capacities; superior per-
formance was verified for all combinations.
Exhibiting this year at POWTECH
in Nuremberg, Germany, from 26–28
September 2017, GEA will highlight its in-
novative solutions and manufacturing ex-
pertise, showcasing new products and
developments for a wide range of industries
and applications. You can find GEA at Booth
312 in Hall 3A.
GEA is one of the largest suppliers of
process technology for the food and other
industries. The international technology
group focuses on process technology and
components for sophisticated production
processes in various end-user markets. In
2016, GEA generated consolidated revenues
of about EUR 4.5 billion, of which around
70% came from the food sector. The compa-
ny employs about 17,000 people worldwide.
www.gea.com

94 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017

Europe 2017 Special Advertising Section
Securely bagged and wrapped
BEUMER supplies complete packaging lines for the chemical industry: from form-fill-seal
machines for bagging, through palletizers, to stretch hood units that secure the load
T he BEUMER GROUP supplies complete
packaging lines which fulfill the complex
requirements of manufacturers in the chem-
ical industry. These include highly efficient
filling, palletizing and packaging systems.
Customers also get comprehensive support.
When the BEUMER Group implements
a packaging line in the chemical industry,
here is how it typically works: The bulk ma-
terial passes from the silo along a conveyor
BEUMER fillpac FFS machines seal
product quickly and accurately into bags
Weighing module for dosing and filling applications
The Siwarex WP251 electronic weighing module from Siemens combines power and
accuracy in a small footprint, and integrates seamlessly with Simatic systems
T he Siwarex WP251 electronic weigh-
ing module from Siemens integrates
seamlessly into the TIA Portal engineering
framework. The Siwarex WP251 is capable
of performing completely independent
batching and filling tasks and comes with
all the right credentials typically required
for this type of process, such as accuracy
and speed. Its features enable fast and easy
commissioning and control of the scale.
With a measuring rate of 100/120 Hz and
a resolution of up to one part in 4,000,000,
the Siwarex WP251 offers very high accura-
cy. Thanks to its compact design, it takes up
little space in the cabinet.
The weighing module can also operate
independently when used in stand-alone
mode without a CPU. It comes with four dig-
ital inputs, four digital outputs, one analog
output, an Ethernet port (Modbus TCP/IP),
an RS484 interface (Modbus RTU) and the
S7-1200 system bus as standard, opening
up wide scope for applications and integra-
tion – without added costs.
The “ready-for-use Siwarex WP251”
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
section to the BEUMER fillpac FFS (form fill
seal) system. This bagging machine is fit-
ted with an integral, high-precision weigh-
er which ensures the accuracy of the bag
weights. High-performance palletizers from
the BEUMER paletpac range then stack
the bags quickly and accurately on pallets.
Depending on the product requirements,
the palletizers are fitted with a rotary clamp
or double-belt turning device which moves
the filled bags into the required position.
Even bags filled with granulates can be
gently palletized, remaining dimensionally
stable when stacked. Customers use the
high-performance packaging systems in the
BEUMER stretch hood series to secure the
load. For businesses in the chemical indus-
try, efficient packaging of palletized goods
is a crucial competitive factor. The film fits
snugly over each product on the pallet, en-
suring safe transport and good load stabili-
ty. The film is highly stretchable and secures
the material as it contracts. It is also very
transparent and permits a clear view of the
packaged goods. Barcodes on the products
The Siwarex WP251 weighing
module is powerful, yet compact
sample application comes free of charge,
simplifying start-up and commissioning of
the scale. This allows scales to be commis-
sioned, adjusted and operated using only
a touch panel or CPU. The Siwarex WP251
also offers an extended application range:
SEPTEMBER 2017
BEUMER stretch hood machines
create compact, stable pallet loads
can be read without difficulty. When a cover
film is placed over the top of the pallet, this
solution also protects the goods against ex-
ternal influences from all six sides.
Customers get a complete solution from
a single source and have a reliable point of
contact for the whole job.
www.beumergroup.com
When integrated into a Simatic S7-1200,
any customer-specific or plant-specific re-
quirements can be simply added and pro-
grammed using the S7-1200 CPU, creating
a freely programmable weighing solution
using standard Simatic components. In
stand-alone mode, all the parameters and
functions can be accessed and edited using
the Modbus RTU or Modbus TCP/IP commu-
nication protocol. A trace recording mode
is available for scale optimization. Stored
weighing values and the relevant status-
es can also be displayed and analyzed in
Microsoft Excel using Siwatool V7 param-
eterization software.
Control of the coarse and fine flow sig-
nals or the emptying signal can take place
via the four available digital outputs on the
module. Maximum accuracy is achieved
since the weighing process is controlled
completely independently of the CPU and
its cycle time. This means that the CPU can
be used at the same time to manage recipes
and material parameters, for example.
www.siemens.com/siwarexwp251
95
 Europe 2017 Special Advertising Section
Modular, flexible, Revolutionary idea for vacuum dryer
safe, economical The Planex System from Italvacuum sets new standards for
JACOB modular pipework
systems are easy to use
J ACOB modular pipework systems are the
lifeline of modern production systems.
They transport raw materials and products,
direct exhaust and extract dust. The ap-
plications are as diverse as the spatial re-
quirements, making each pipework system
unique. But they are identical in their effi-
cient design, economical maintenance, and
safe, hygienic operation.
The modular pipework system devel-
oped by JACOB is based on more than 8,000
Quick-connect rings make the JACOB
system easy to install and dismantle
standard items, most of which can be sup-
plied immediately. The possible range of
different configurations is enormous. JACOB
will also make any special part needed to
meet individual requirements. Assembly is
simple, too: Standard modular parts with
lipped ends are fitted with a U-shaped seal
and joined together with a pull-ring. The
system is fast, airtight, and flexible.
It is also robust, as evidenced by the
ability to withstand explosion overpressures
of either 3 or 10 bar. The QUICK CONNECT
pull-ring requires only a single hand move-
ment for both assembly and dismantling, so
maintenance and cleaning are easily done.
The result is a tailored solution suited to
any challenge. www.jacob-rohre.de
96
low energy consumption and gentle product handling
D rying is a special art which has to meet
increasingly severe requirements,
notes vacuum pump and dryer specialist
Italvacuum. To offer the highest levels of
quality and productivity while minimizing
energy consumption, Italvacuum has devel-
oped the Planex System. This patented vac-
uum dryer won the Dry Trophy Innovation
Award 2016, organized by NWGD (Dutch
Working Group on Drying), sponsored by
the Dutch government. It is ideal for the
production of active pharmaceutical ingre-
dients, fine chemicals and intermediates.
Planex System is a horizontal paddle
dryer with an eccentric agitator featuring
two independent movements, allowing it Moving on two axes, the Planex System
to simultaneously revolve around its own agitator mixes effectively yet gently
axis and to rotate tangentially to the drying
chamber. The combined rotations of the agi- ucts are treated with maximum care. The
tator and its small size ensures perfect mix- dryer takes is designed so as not to form
ing – with energy consumption reduced by lumps, and avoids the heat damage that
a factor of at least three compared to a con- can occur when product rubs against the
ventional paddle dryer. Since this means a chamber walls. Dedicated control software
threefold reduction in mechanical and ther- aids the drying of small batches.
mal stresses, even the most delicate prod- www.italvacuum.com
Continuous cleanroom pastillation
The Sandvik Rotoform system is designed and built for
reliable performance under GMP conditions
A successful pharmaceutical audit for
cleanroom pastillation requires a GMP-
compliant production unit along with pro-
fessional documentation. The Sandvik
Rotoform granulation system meets these
requirements, and can convert liquid melts
into solid pastilles in less than a minute.
A pump delivers the molten product
from a tank to the dropformer via heated
piping. The Rotoform itself consists of a
heated cylindrical stator, which is supplied
with liquid product, and a perforated shell Uniform pastilles from Sandvik’s Rotoform
that rotates concentrically around the sta-
tor. The nozzle bar deposits droplets of is maintenance-free. All contact parts are
product across the operating width of a con- made from stainless steel with very low sur-
tinuously running stainless steel belt. face roughness, for easy cleaning and maxi-
Heat released during solidification is mum hygiene, and all gaskets are made
transferred via the steel belt to cooling from approved materials. Hoods cover the
water sprayed underneath. This indirect whole machine, and a fan extractor avoids
cooling eliminates any risk of cross-contam- pollution of ambient air.
ination between product and cooling water. The Sandvik Rotoform system is widely
Every aspect of the Rotoform system has used across the food, cosmetic and phar-
been designed to ensure GMP compliance. maceutical industries for products such as
All piping connections are quick-release chocolate, lipstick and suppository mass.
type for easy cleaning, and the drive belt www.processsystems.sandvik.com
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
Europe 2017 Special Advertising Section

Protect mag-drive pumps from dry running damage

The RunSafe SiC coating system from CDR Pompe offers a proven solution to greatly
increase the reliability of magnetically coupled pumps under critical working conditions

C DR Pompe is a leading Italian

manufacturer of magneti-
cally driven centrifugal pumps
made by laying down a strong and
tightly-adhering coat of synthetic
diamond on top of SiC. The dia-
for chemical and pharmaceuti- mond surface is extremely
cal industry applications. Today smooth, dramatically re-
the company is fully focused on ducing the coefficient of
pump reliability, especially when friction (by about 80%)
dry running is a possibility. Mag- compared to traditional
drive pumps are extremely safe SiC components. This de-
and reliable, but they have a weak creases the amount of heat
point in the case of dry running: generated under conditions
the silicon carbide (SiC) bushes of poor lubrication, and gives
and shafts traditionally used in RunSafe SiC pump wider security margins during RunSafe SiC is available on all
this type of pump have poor resis- components have difficult start-up operations, pumps from CDR Pompe
tance to dry running, cavitation, a low-friction when operating with low-boil-
and other conditions leading to diamond coating ing liquids, and in the case of • significant increase in mean time be-
poor lubrication. dry running. tween failures under critical conditions;
In the absence of liquid, heat generated RunSafe SiC provides the following • unchanged chemical resistance compared
by friction causes the temperature of the advantages: to traditional SiC; and
SiC components to increase. The resulting • reduced risk of failure from incorrect • fast return on investment.
thermal shock causes bushings to fail rap- pump start-up or priming failures; RunSafe SiC is available on all CDR pumps,
idly, with severe consequences for other • during dry running, the chance to stop including fluoropolymer-lined and stainless
components too. The CDR Pompe solution the pump before severe damage occurs; steel models. Top benefits may be achieved
is RunSafe SiC – silicon carbide coated with • greater range of application when work- using RunSafe SiC combined with suitable
diamond. RunSafe SiC components are ing with liquids with low boiling points; instrumentation. www.cdrpompe.it

Eliminate entrapped air from liquid piping systems

A new combination air release/degassing valve from Plast-O-Matic Valves boosts pump
efficiency and avoids any risk or airlocks by removing trapped air from pipework

T here are three ways that air enters a liq-

uid piping system, notes Plast-O-Matic
Valves. First, and most common, is air en-
tering during fill and drain cycles. Second is
air that comes in through pumps, fittings,
seals, pipe threads, and bearings whenever
a partial vacuum occurs. The third way is
through the liquid itself: for example, the
average water system contains 2% dis-
solved air.
As air outgasses in a piping system, it
collects at elbows and high points and cre-
ates pockets of air. At minimum, these air
pockets increase head loss and reduce sys-
tem efficiency. At worst, air pockets result
in water hammer, pump deadheading, cor-
rosion, and erratic operation. All of these
can potentially damage a pump or filter and
even destroy an entire system.
To maintain a safe, efficient system, this
air or gas must be removed in two stages:
air release at system start-up, followed by
and continuous degassing during system
operations. Usually, these functions are pro-
vided separately by single-purpose valves
The Combination Air Release/
Degassing Valvefrom Plast-O-Matic
Valves is an elegant way to maintain the
performance of fluids handling systems
mounted at high points in the pipeline.
The first type is an Air Release Valve,
which is open at system start-up and allows
air to escape as the pipeline fills. Once liq-
uid reaches the high point, the valve closes
until the system is shut down again. The
second type of valve is designed to repeat-
edly open and close during operations to
allow trace amounts of air to escape; this is
called the Degassing Valve.
A recent, patent-pending development
by Plast-O-Matic Valves combines both
operations in a single, all-thermoplastic
design called a Combination Air Release/
Degassing Valve. This valve contains both
functions in one unit, for convenience and
cost reduction. The combination valve is
best installed at a high point in the system
to provide air release during filling, continu-
ous degassing during normal pressurized
operations, and vacuum protection while
draining.
Through proper use and selection of this
new combination valve, operators can im-
prove system efficiency and safety in their
liquid piping systems.
Founded in 1967, Plast-O-Matic designs
and manufactures a wide range of specialist
thermoplastic fluids handling products.
www.plastomatic.com

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 97

 Europe 2017 Special Advertising Section

Higher process reliability with Austrian technology

The Berndorf Band Group is an expert in steel belts and associated technology for the
production of high-quality filter membranes and pastillated chemical products

T he Berndorf Band Group is committed

to optimizing chemical processes and
ensuring long-term success by means of in-
novative technologies. Berndorf Band is a
long-established firm with over 90 years of
experience in belt production and develop-
ing plant to meet the specific requirements
of its customers.
Only manufacturers with efficient pro-
duction facilities will remain competitive in
the future. Optimizing the effectiveness of
existing production lines is therefore cru-
cial. International chemical industry manu-
facturers rely on the Berndorf Band Group’s
innovations and comprehensive know-how.
Precise belt tracking is particularly
important in chemicals production. The
Berndorf Band Group’s process belts stand
out for their exceptional flatness, dimen-
sional stability and flawless running charac-
teristics – the results of intensive research
and development. Thanks to high-quality
processing of the material used – NICRO
85 super-duplex – Berndorf belts also excel
when it comes to corrosion resistance. The
high-end material offers high static and dy-
namic strength as well as resistance against
chloride-induced stress corrosion.
Drawing on its extensive expertise, the
Berndorf Band Group develops casters for
precise, high-quality production of chemi-
cal products such as filter membranes.
Specially manufactured upstream feeding
systems and downstream processing com-
ponents optimize manufacturing processes
in terms of quality and productivity. The Quality belts yield quality products
Berndorf Band Group also offers a virtual
caster for complete process control, which ers benefit from detailed consultations with
can be used to perform a range of process experienced engineers, custom solutions
optimization calculations. and swift, expert repair services as well as
To fully satisfy the needs of its custom- steel belt and belt system maintenance. Belt
ers, in addition to innovative technology, the systems can easily be adapted and upgrad-
Berndorf Band Group offers a unique portfo- ed to meet new production requirements.
lio of worldwide services. Berndorf custom- www.berndorfband-group.com

SPECIAL REPORT

Digitalization
in the Chemical
Process Industries

More and more, companies are talking about “going digi-

tal.” This includes concepts of interconnectivity described by
the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0 that are
enabled by advances in sensors, data analytics, computing networks,
software and other technologies.

This special report contains recent news articles (2017) from Chemical Engineer-
ing magazine that give a timely and informative overview of digitalization as well as
a number of articles (2016) on related cybersecurity issues..

Visit store.chemengoline.com for more information.

30400

98 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017

 Europe 2017 Special Advertising Section
No guesswork for Pilot plant for hydrogenation tests
hazardous liquids EKATO has opened a new test center dedicated to scale-
Bungartz builds submersible
pumps for critical duties
B ungartz: the name is synonymous
worldwide with custom-built centrifugal
pumps that work for decades under tough
conditions. Safe and self-regulating, the
MPATAN universal mag-
netically coupled pump
is a vertical submersible
design for potentially ex-
plosive or otherwise haz-
ardous fluids. MPATAN
pumps are typically used
to remove boiling,
solids-laden or
toxic liquids
from pits or slop
tanks.
Standard centrifu-
gal pumps cannot safely
run dry because their
sleeve bearings rely on
the pumped medium
or an external water
supply for lubrication.
The MPATAN pump,
in contrast, is safe for
dry running, even with
hazardous media. It
uses roller bearings
that are lubricated for
life, and protected from
contact with the pumped
liquid by a hydrodynamic
The MPATAN submersible
seal created
by vanes on
pump is ideal for toxic, the back of the
solids-laden, boiling, gas- impeller.
entrained, explosive or A mechani-
highly contaminated media cal seal or gas-
sealed lip seal
keeps product vapors away from the bear-
ings. The vertical layout prevents product
contact with the seal, even if the sealing gas
supply should fail.
On the atmospheric side, a magnetic
coupling and ceramic containment can cre-
ate a hermetic seal and allow the pump to
run dry without damage. Monitoring equip-
ment can be installed outside the pit, away
from the hazardous atmosphere.
For highly corrosive or abrasive media,
Bungartz offers strong and durable materi-
als such as super-duplex alloys. The result
is a maintenance-free pump that can com-
pletely empty tanks at submersion depths
up to 5.5 m and medium temperatures up to
280°C. www.bungartz.de
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
up work on its customers’ hydrogenation reactions
T he EKATO Hydrogenation Test Center is
located at the company’s headquarters
in Schopfheim, Germany. It was constructed
within a year and with a budget of €2 mil-
lion. The centerpiece is a hydrogenation
EKATO’s new Hydrogenation Test Center
reactor made of Alloy C22, with a working
volume of 60 l. This can be operated at up to
100 bar and 250°C.
The flexible design of the Test Center al-
lows realistic simulation of industrial hydro-
genation processes at pilot scale, including
catalyst handling and catalyst separation as
well as the actual hydrogenation reaction.
Hygienic horizontal thin-film dryer
The flexibility of the CONTIVAC thin-film dryer makes it ideal
for continuous processes, says Buss-SMS-Canzler
T he special CONTIVAC horizontal thin-
film dryer from Buss-SMS-Canzler is
well suited for use in production processes
with special hygienic requirements. The
CONTIVAC processor provides all the usual
advantages of continuous thin-film drying,
such as minimum product holdup and ex-
tremely short residence times, which results
in a considerable reduction of side reactions
and color changes. In comparison to a con-
ventional batch dryer, the residence time in
a CONTIVAC thin-film dryer is reduced by a
factor of up to 500.
Fast drying is only one of the advantages
of the CONTIVAC. For manufacturers in the
pharmaceutical, fine chemical, food and pet
food industries, it offers new possibilities for
process optimization and quality improve-
ment, which are not available with conven-
tional batch machines, the company says.
Additional ingredients can be evenly sprayed
onto the thin film within the CONTIVAC using
rotating nozzles. For additional flexibility,
the heating jacket can be split into different
heating zones, and further feed nozzles can
SEPTEMBER 2017
Additional reactors with working volumes
of 3 l increase experimental flexibility and
allow process parameters to be determined
even with small product quantities.
“Our customers’ requirements have
changed, and binding commitments on
costs, productivity, and product quality are
now essential if we want to continue getting
orders”, said Werner Himmelsbach, Head
of R&D at EKATO Rühr- und Mischtechnik
GmbH. “To this end, we have to test hydro-
genation processes under realistic condi-
tions at pilot scale. The new Hydrogenation
Test Center allows us to do just that.”
EKATO has been active in hydrogenation
for more than 80 years, and offers a com-
prehensive product and service portfolio
for hydrogenation with more than 500 ac-
tive references. EKATO is a single source for
testing, scale-up, plant design, mechanical
design, detailed engineering, and the sup-
ply of critical system components.
www.ekato.com/en/products/
process-plants/pilot-plants/
hydrogenation-test-center
Short residence times, minimum
product holdup, and a highly flexible
process configuration are the main
advantages of the CONTIVAC
be added at several positions. This allows
an extremely flexible design when handling
thermally sensitive products.
For pharmaceutical customers SMS de-
livers the required engineering, services
and documents, all in compliance with
GMP requirements and based on the User
Requirement Specification (URS).
www.sms-vt.com
99
 Software
Product Showcase

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100 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017

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Chemical Engineering Chemical Engineering Sales Representative
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102 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
Advertisers Index
Advertiser .............. Page number Advertiser .............. Page number Advertiser .............. Page number
Phone number Reader Service # Phone number Reader Service # Phone number Reader Service #

Abbe, Paul O............................43 GEMÜ Valves, Inc. .................50d Pompetravaini ............................6

1-855-789-9827 1-678-553-3400 +39.0331.889000
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-37 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-25 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-39
Acrison Inc. ..............................27 H. Butting GmbH & Co. KG .....43 Quest Integrity Group, LLC ......59
1-201-440-8300 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-26 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-40
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-04 Heat Transfer Research, Inc. RedGuard ................................78
AUMA USA............................. 21d (HTRI) ......................................23 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-41
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-05 +49 5834 50-408 Rembe GMBH .........................47
*AUMA .....................................21i adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-27 1-704-716-7022
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-03 Inline Industries ...................... 31d adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-42
Badger Meter, Inc. .................29d 1-800-568-8998 Rosedale Products, Inc ...........89
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-06 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-28 1-734-665-8201
*Berndorf Band GmbH ............. 9i Italvacuum ...............................55 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-43
+39 0331 864 841 +39 011 470 46 51 Ross, Charles & Son Co. .......... 11
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-07 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-30 1-800-243-ROSS
Beumer Group GmbH *Fr. Jacob Soehne GmbH adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-11
& Co.KG......................................... 13 & Co. KG..................................19i Sandvik Process Systems........75
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-08 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-23 +49 711 5105-0
Bungartz, Paul GmbH Load Controls .......................... 81 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-44
& Co. KG..................................47 1-888-600-3247 Schenck Process .....................92
+0211 57 79 05-0 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-31 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-02
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-36 Magnetrol ................................33 Seepex, Inc. ........................... 19d
*Buss-SMS-Canzler GmbH..... 49i 1-800-624-8765 1-937-864-7150
+49 60 33/ 85-0 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-32 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-45
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-09 Material Transfer & Storage ..... 77 *Siemens AG............................17i
CDR Pompe s.r.l. ..................... 51 1-800-836-7068 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-46
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-10 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-33 Sturtevant, Inc..........................79
Check-All Valve Mfg. Co. .........38 Myron L Corporation................ 91 1-800-992-0209
1-515-224-2301 1-760-438-2021 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-47
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-12 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-34 Swagelok ...................................3
2017 Chem Show ............... 44-45 The New York Blower adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-48
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-29 Company ...............................C4 Team Industrial Services ......... C3
The Clean Air Group, LLC ........9d 1-800-208-7918 1-800-662-8326
1-973-947-8787 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-35 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-49
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-13 Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH ............92 Tekleen Automatic Filters Inc. ..83
Curtiss-Wright, EST Group ......87 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-01 1-800-336-1942
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-20 *Plast-O-Matic Valves, Inc. ..... 29i adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-50
DeWal Industries Inc. ...............57 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-38 Yokogawa Corporation
1-800-366-8356 of America ...............................53
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-14 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-51
Dickow Pump Company ..........48
1-800-880-4442 Classiied Index September 2017
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-15 Advertiser Page number
Dräger Safety .......................... C2 Phone number Reader Service # Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-16
Engineering Software............. 100 Equipment, New & Used . . 100
Eastman Chemical
1-301-919-9670 Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Company ...............................24b adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-242
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-17
Genck International................ 100 Advertiser Page number
Ekato Process Technologies 1-708-748-7200
GmbH ......................................35 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-243
Phone number Reader Service #
1-201-825-4684 x222 Indeck Power Equipment Universal Flow Monitors......... 100
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-18
Company ................................ 101 1-888-569-3090
Endress+Hauser ........................4 1-800-446-3325 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-246
1-888-ENDRESS adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-244 Vesconite Bearings ................. 101
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-19
Neuhaus Neotec ................... 100 1-866-635-7596
Flottweg ................................... 41 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-201 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-247
Ross, Charles & Son Co. ........ 101 Wabash Power Equipment .... 100
+49 8741 301-0
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-21 1-800-704-2002
1-800-243-ROSS
Fluid Line Products, Inc.......... 15d \adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-241 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-248
Tri-Mer Corporation ................ 101 Xchanger, Inc. ......................... 101
1-440-946-9470
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-22 1-952-933-2559
1-989-321-2991
*GEA Group ............................ 37i adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-245 adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-249
adlinks.chemengonline.com/66432-24

* International Edition Send Advertisements and Box replies to: Diane Burleson
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September 2017; VOL. 124; NO. 9
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CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017 103
 Economic Indicators
2015 2016 2017

Download the CEPCI two weeks sooner at www.chemengonline.com/pci

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PLANT COST INDEX (CEPCI)

625

(1957-59 = 100) June '17 May '17 June '16 Annual Index:
Prelim. Final Final
2009 = 521.9 600
CE Index ______________________________________________ 567.1 567.3 540.9
Equipment ____________________________________________ 684.5 684.6 645.3 2010 = 550.8
Heat exchangers & tanks _________________________________ 603.4 603.5 558.9
2011 = 585.7 575
Process machinery _____________________________________ 681.9 682.0 651.1
Pipe, valves & fittings ____________________________________ 873.5 873.5 801.0 2012 = 584.6
Process instruments ____________________________________ 403.5 403.5 385.4 2013 = 567.3 550
Pumps & compressors ___________________________________ 979.6 979.6 970.5
Electrical equipment ____________________________________ 516.4 516.4 506.8 2014 = 576.1
Structural supports & misc. ________________________________ 737.1 737.1 708.4 2015 = 556.8 525
Construction labor _______________________________________ 325.5 326.1 326.0
Buildings _____________________________________________ 559.6 559.7 544.0 2016 = 541.7
Engineering & supervision _________________________________ 313.0 313.6 315.1 500
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Starting with the April 2007 Final numbers, several of the data series for labor and compressors have been converted to
accommodate series IDs that were discontinued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

CURRENT BUSINESS INDICATORS LATEST PREVIOUS YEAR AGO

CPI output index (2012 = 100) ____________________________________________________ Jul. '17 = 102.1 Jun. '17 = 101.8 May '17 = 101.0 Jul. '16 = 99.6
CPI value of output, $ billions _____________________________________________________ Jun. '17 = 1,794.1 May '17 = 1,803.4 Apr. '17 = 1,826.6 Jun. '16 = 1,728.9
CPI operating rate, % __________________________________________________________ Jul. '17 = 76.5 Jun. '17 = 76.4 May '17 = 75.9 Jul. '16 = 75.3
Producer prices, industrial chemicals (1982 = 100) ____________________________________ Jul. '17 = 244.0 Jun. '17 = 251.3 May '17 = 257.3 Jul. '16 = 225.2
Industrial Production in Manufacturing (2012=100)* ____________________________________ Jul. '17 = 103.4 Jun. '17 = 103.4 May '17 = 103.2 Jul. '16 = 102.1
Hourly earnings index, chemical & allied products (1992 = 100) ____________________________ Jul. '17 = 180.0 Jun. '17 = 174.5 May '17 = 174.7 Jul. '16 = 169.6
Productivity index, chemicals & allied products (1992 = 100) ______________________________ Jul. '17 = 102.4 Jun. '17 = 103.1 May '17 = 102.6 Jul. '16 = 101.3

CPI OUTPUT INDEX (2000 = 100)† CPI OUTPUT VALUE ($ BILLIONS) CPI OPERATING RATE (%)
110 2300 80

105
2200 78
100
2100
95 76
2000
90
74
1900
85
72
80 1800

75 1700 70
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

*Due to discontinuance, the Index of Industrial Activity has been replaced by the Industrial Production in Manufacturing index from the U.S. Federal Reserve Board.
†For the current month’s CPI output index values, the base year was changed from 2000 to 2012
Current business indicators provided by Global Insight, Inc., Lexington, Mass.

CURRENT TRENDS

T he preliminary value for the June CE

Plant Cost Index (CEPCI; top; most
recent available) dipped slightly compared
Managing Vapor and
Hot Topics Particulate Emissions
Guidebook
to the previous month’s value, and al-
Valves though the decrease was small, it ends a
in the Selection, Operation and Troubleshooting

Optimal Pump string of eight straight months of increas-

Chemical Management ing values. All four of the major subindices
(Equipment, Construction Labor, Buildings
Processing CHEMICAL
ENGINEERING
CHEMICAL
ENGINEERING
and Engineering & Supervision) saw small
decreases from their previous month’s
Industry Valves Selection: Optimal Pump Managing Vapor values. The preliminary overall monthly
Operation and Management and Particulate CEPCI value for June 2017 stands at
Troubleshooting Emissions 4.9% higher than the corresponding value
from June 2016. Meanwhile, the latest
Current Business Indicators (CBI; middle)
Find these and other related CPI titles in the saw the CPI Output Index rise by a small
Chemical Engineering Store. store.chemengonline.com margin in July, while the CPI value of out-
put fell slightly in June. Producer prices for
industrial chemicals fell in July.
104 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2017
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